Friendship, health & dance at St Stephen’s Church

Case Study: The Friendship Cafe at St Stephen’s Church, Southmead

St. Stephen’s Church in Southmead has become more than just a place of worship — it’s now a busy community hub offering support, connection, and a range of activities for local residents.

What began as a simple weekly coffee gathering has evolved and now incorporates a range of activities including sessions for physical and emotional well-being, thanks to a team of volunteers and Warm Hub Minister Heather May.

The church’s Friendship Café, held every Wednesday welcomes anyone in need of companionship and a warm drink. But over time, the café has grown to offer much more.

Heather, who now leads the project, introduced monthly dance fitness classes, providing a fun way for people to stay active while building new friendships. She also launched health checkups at the café, giving locals access to important wellness services.

The community also wants to give out themselves. One of the successes was a recent Macmillan coffee morning that raised £250 for cancer research. These events have helped bring the community together while raising funds for important causes.

“At St. Stephen's, our vision is to reach people in our community for Jesus and to share our faith and to grow our faith in this community of Southmead. And so by doing the things that we've been doing, we are reaching other people outside of the church doing things that will hopefully help their lives be that little bit better” said Revd Gaby Doherty.

“Being able to open up for a cafe every week is a wonderful way of doing that.”


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