Linking the community through coffee

Through your donations, Baptcare is supporting the development of the Norlane community.  A $32,500 grant from the Give Where You Live Foundation has allowed Baptcare to partner with Urban Seed to create a mobile café on the integrated Baptcare site at Robin Avenue, Norlane. In developing the Robin Avenue site (elements of which are still under construction), Baptcare is responding to community needs for affordable housing, social housing, aged care and employment generation. The mobile café is providing a vital link between the project and the community.

Known as the Little Birdie Pop-up Café, the social enterprise café aims to serve good food, great coffee and share a taste of the local community spirit. The café is run by local staff and volunteers, all of whom are proud members of the Norlane community.

Creating the mobile café has been an 18-month journey. As a social enterprise all profits from the café will go back into supporting and developing neighbourhood initiatives in Norlane. The cafe operates Monday to Friday at 39 Robin Ave Norlane. As The Little Birdie Pop-up Café is mobile it can be hired on weekends and weeknights to provide coffees or to cater events in and around Geelong. The Little Birdie Pop-up Café is the first phase of a larger social enterprise initiative. The establishment of second phase of the social enterprise, The Aviary Café, as part of the community hub and wellbeing centre still under construction will begin the second half of next year.

For further information about hiring The Little Birdie Pop-up Cafe visit their website thelittlebirdie.org.au. Or next time you are in Norlane grab a coffee and have a chat to hear about all the great things going on in the neighbourhood!

‘Until you spread your wings, you have no idea how far you can fly.’