Round About Café

Quick update about Wednesday 😀

Today, Nigel's Cheese, Tomato & Bacon Turnovers are up for grabs at just £2! 🧀🍅🥓

Don’t miss out on this tasty treat!

Sounds of our Neighbourhood Walk (Hosted by John Hansard Gallery)

Saturday 20 June, 1.30-3.30pm - Mansbridge (meet at the Round About Cafe, 12 Westfield Corner, SO18 2LE)

Join Antosh Wojcik for family-friendly, sound walk in Mansbridge. Explore the local urban and wild setting while chatting, listening, creative note taking and sampling using microphones and headsets. Together we will record a reservoir of sound samples to be exhibited at John Hansard Gallery as part of Community Takeover in July 2026. Antosh Wojcik, is a poet, drummer and cross-disciplinary artist.

Suitable for all ages. No need to book in advance, you can just turn up, but if you’d like to book a space https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sounds-of-our-neighbourhood-with-sound-artist-and-poet-antosh-wojcik-tickets-1990785091800?aff=oddtdtcreator

For more information see - https://jhg.art/events/community-takeover-2026/

Are you a Mansbridge resident? Would you like to take part in food research?

The local FAIR-food community researcher is carrying out research about reducing food insecurity in the Mansbridge area and increasing residents’ access to healthy food. The Round About Cafe community pantry is an affordable food club to help people stretch their budget. We want to find out about what's stopping you from accessing the pantry and how we might make improvements.

You can answer the questions through an online form here: https://bit.ly/4ufCcsU

Or come and join a group discussion on Wednesday 24 June at 6pm at Round About Cafe.

For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/4ugo2b2

Looking to get back into work or try something new? Discover your transferrable skills

We’re exploring interest in a free 2-hour training session at the end of June or July, delivered by TWICS, to help you recognise and use your transferable skills when applying for jobs.

Getting back into work can feel challenging, especially if you haven’t worked for a while or are changing career. You might be wondering how to write a CV, what skills you can offer, or how to stand out to employers.

This session will help you:
✔ Identify the skills and experience you already have – even from everyday life
✔ Build confidence in what you can offer to employers
✔ Learn how to present your skills in a CV or application
✔ Feel more prepared for interviews

Whether your experience comes from caring responsibilities, volunteering, study, previous jobs or time away from work, your skills matter – this session will help you recognise and use them.

This is a great opportunity if you are returning to work, exploring new job options or thinking about a career change.

We need at least 8 people to run the session, so if you’re interested, please comment here or contact [email protected] or 07769241365

💛 Volunteers’ Week 2026 💛

It's hard to talk about the Round About Café without talking about Shirley. She has been volunteering with us for almost as long as the café has been open and her presence is woven into its identity and success.

Shirley is instantly recognisable for her delicious homemade cakes, quick wit and the good‑natured bickering she shares with Nigel, our Cafe Supervisor. This banter is famous with customers and brings laughter, warmth and a sense of familiarity that keeps people coming back week after week. She helps make the café feel like a place where people belong.

Beyond her humour and baking, Shirley brings deep experience, commitment and care to everything she does. Her dedication to volunteering has been formally recognised with not one, but two visits to Buckingham Palace, a remarkable reflection of the time and energy she has given in service to others.

The Round About Café would simply not be what it is today without Shirley. Her passion, personality and tireless commitment have helped shape a space that is welcoming, joyful and community‑led. She is truly irreplaceable.

💛 Volunteers’ Week 2026 💛

We are delighted to welcome Barbara back as a volunteer after a period away. Even during her time off from volunteering, Barbara remained connected, regularly visiting the café as a customer and continuing to show her support for the space and the community it serves.

Barbara is a key driving force behind the Friends of the Round About Café group and brings with her a wealth of experience from working in the charity sector. She now volunteers her time as Treasurer, using her skills and knowledge to help support the group’s development and long‑term sustainability. Her involvement is invaluable and provides strong foundations for the group’s future work.

Barbara’s continued dedication and willingness to share her expertise make her a hugely valued volunteer who truly deserves recognition.