After six years of hard fundraising, the 3 Café & Kitchen skills centre at Three Ways School in Bath is nearing completion. The school, which provides for 207 children with a wide range of Special Educational Needs, is now asking for volunteers to help with the final competition of the centre so that it can open its doors in early 2017.
To help achieve this, the school is calling on the community, local business and individuals to help build the outdoor area in a DIY SOS Style day on 10th December from 10am. Volunteers are invited to bring along wheelbarrows and shovels. There will be free tea, coffee and bacon sandwiches. The day is set to end at about 2/3pm and volunteers are welcome to arrive at any time stay for as long as they like. Children are welcome but will need to be supervised by parents.
If anyone is able to support or donate to Three Ways in the final stages of development of the Work Skills Centre, please contact Lucy Beattie or Amelia Hartley on 01225 838070 or email hidden; JavaScript is required.
Three Ways School fundraising consultant, Lucy Beattie, explained, “The dream of having an on-site work skills centre at Three Ways Special School is becoming a reality. The aim of the centre is to develop employability skills for young people with a range of disabilities and give real-life experience in a café and shop which will be open to the public. Over £400,000 has been raised to build the centre over the last six years and the final few months of building work is happening. We are aiming to open the doors in early 2017.
“There is a challenge ahead before opening the café and shop as there is a large outside area which is currently rubble. The vision is to have a beautiful decked area with seating which would double the number of spaces to be available at the café. The centre also is yet to find funding for furniture, catering equipment, including teacups, plates and cutlery and manpower and materials to complete the outdoor areas.”
Julie Dyer, Head Teacher at Three Ways, added, “It is so exciting to see the skills centre and café nearing completion. It would be wonderful to have help to finish and open in the New Year. If there is a team out there willing to give up time to come and help to deck the outside area, anyone able to donate furnishing or decking or able to make a donation to help towards these it will help us along another step towards our goal.”
Emily Danquah, a parent at Three Ways School, explained, “The opportunities our children are going to have through the centre are amazing. To get recognised catering and customer service qualifications and the experience of working in a café and shop will be wonderful. This will help our children to become one step closer to supporting themselves and being as independent as possible.
“The building of the centre is now finished and the interior is due to be completed by mid-December 2016. The centre is light and airy and will be a welcoming café offering wonderfully tasty fresh food. Students will work to prepare and serve customers with support of specialist staff. Three Ways School want to give all pupils the chance to reach their aspirations.”