Everybody's talking about Buckingham's Chatty Cafe

A pop-up cafe for anyone wanting company in Buckingham is thriving, two months on.

University of Buckingham faculty quality manager Paula Seddon set up the weekly cafe as a place for those who may be feeling lonely or isolated to meet up with others once a week.

Buckingham resident Paula saw how lonely some people had become during the Covid pandemic and decided to join the national Chatty Cafe initiative by running a cafe for an hour a week in the university's refectory at Tanlaw Mill.

The Chatty Cafe has been popular since it first launched, following an initial story in the Buckingham and Winslow Advertiser, and now word of mouth keeps people coming to the regular Wednesday event.

Paula said: "Chatty Café is proving to be a great success, and regularly has double figures in attendance.

"The Advertiser initially helped with letting people in the community know that it was going to be taking place, and why, and now word of mouth and social media keeps the numbers up.

"There has been a varied group of attendees, many with different reasons for attending.

"Some have carer roles and this gives them the opportunity to have a break and a coffee, some have recently experienced bereavement, some have limited options for getting out and speaking to others and some just come along for a coffee, chat or to provide a friendly face or a listening ear to those that may otherwise not speak very often to other people."

And she added: "We are now looking to increase numbers and vary the format, by also trying to arrange an evening event at a local pub and perhaps trips out to the theatre.

"More will be announced when we can firm up the details."

The Chatty Cafe takes place on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 11.30am at Tanlaw Mill, on Hunter Street.