Canterbury has incredible social enterprise cafés and restaurants, all offering delicious food in friendly surroundings. They each share a mission to support the community, from training and employability to social connection to healthy, fresh meals for those who need it most. Here’s a closer look at four key initiatives in the city and how you can support them.
Chatterbox Community Café
Castle Street
Chatterbox is more than just a cafe with a delicious menu - it’s a space that fosters conversation and connection. It provides expert catering and service training to
neurodivergent students. Chatterbox operates a ‘pay what you can’ system and you can ‘ask for Sam’ if you need a drink or a meal and can’t afford to pay.
It’s dog-friendly too, and has a lovely outdoor space.
How to support
- Donate Contributions go towards keeping the café running smoothly and ensuring meals remain accessible to all.
- Pay it forward If you’d like to pay for a drink or meal for someone who needs it, just let the team know.
- Pop in Stop for a coffee, arrange a business meeting there or enjoy a meal with friends.
Canterbury Umbrella
St Peter’s Place
Canterbury Umbrella is a community hub that welcomes everyone, especially those finding things difficult or feeling isolated. Relax, meet friends, receive
support and enjoy lunches, snacks and puddings at affordable prices, with meal packs available for those in need. Become a member for a small annual fee and enjoy classes and groups as well as reduced meal prices.
How to support
- Donate Small or large, all donations help Canterbury Umbrella to continue its work.
- Get involved If you have a few hours to spare, ask about helping out at the centre.
- Buy Christmas cards A win-win - get lovely cards to send out and support the centre at the same time.
Lily’s Social Kitchen
Guildhall Street
Now in their gorgeous new building in Guildhall Street, Lily’s Social Kitchen focuses on inclusivity, providing a place for those who are neurodiverse, autistic or have learning disabilities to gain valuable training and work experience. The cafe also works with King’s School and Catching Lives to help prepare meals for the homeless.
How to support
- Donate For the price of a coffee you can become a friend of Lily’s and make a monthly donation of £3.50 to support their mission.
- Pay it forward When you visit the cafe, tell a member of the team that you’d like to pay for a hot meal, sandwich or drink for someone who may not be able to afford one.
- Volunteer Pop them a message via the volunteer form on their website.
BeMIX Discovery Catering Cafe
Westgate Hall
Bemix is a social enterprise that supports people with learning difficulties and/or
autism in learning the skills to produce seasonal, responsibly sourced and
nutritious meals. They run a monthly Tuesday pop-up cafe at Westgate Hall
with delicious menus at affordable prices. Bemix not only serves great food, but helps
develop real-world skills in catering, customer service and business.
How to Support
- Donate Contributions and fundraising help Bemix continue its vital work, check their website for ways to help.
- Visit Check westgatehall.org/events to see which Tuesday in the month the cafe pops up.
- Volunteer If you have experience in catering, you could volunteer to help teach valuable skills.
