Please note: this post is 30 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
Thanks to funding from Bank of America, we have been able to offer older and younger neighbours the chance to celebrate their friendships over a meal out. Love Your Neighbour matches have been meeting up at Homebaked cafes to enjoy, time, conversation, and connection over a yummy lunch!
Homebaked is a community-owned bakery with two sites, one in the shadow of Liverpool Football Club in Anfield, and one in St Georges Hall. They are very much based in place and rooted in community support and action. The profits from the bakery go back into the community, 'brick by brick and loaf by loaf'. We are delighted to be able to support a local, independent business with this funding and deepen our relationship with this community space.
For our neighbours who can’t get out and about, we have been able to organise takeaway meals to be enjoyed at home.
We wanted to share some of the five-star reviews of Homebaked with you from just some of our Love Your Neighbour matches:
Gabriella and Trish:
This LYN match has been pals for 8 months and enjoy chatting on the phone and visiting local cafes for coffee and catch-ups. You might remember them from our previous blog!
"Trish and I visited Homebaked Café in St Georges Hall using the gifted voucher from Liverpool Cares. This gave us an opportunity to try somewhere new for lunch and explore the city together. We enjoyed a pie each and a coffee followed by a jam scone! It was a great location under the Hall. Whilst enjoying our food and drink, we also spontaneously booked onto the Whispering History immersive Tour of the historic building! I loved the experience and it was great to try something new."
Jenni and Teresa:
This pair are one of our newest matches, they met in April and since getting to know each other have explored the city together, visiting local parks, makers markets and even the cathedrals!
"I met Teresa in town and went to the History Whisperer at St George’s Hall. The tour told us all about the history of the building as a crown court and the prisoners who faced trial there. It was really interesting! Afterward, we went for our gifted lunch at Home Baked and had a good chat over lunch and coffee which was delicious!"
Tennessee and Marie:
After a year and a half of friendship, there isn’t much Marie and Tennessee haven’t given a whirl together, cat cafes, ferries across the Mersey, shopping trips- the list goes on! The pair catch up regularly and talk about everything from politics to what's for tea.
"Marie absolutely loved Home-baked! The staff were lovely - really friendly. Marie had a tuna jacket potato - the potato was perfectly cooked for her, "Just the way I'd make it."; she thought the portions were really generous and she had a lovely cappuccino. The place had a lovely, cosy atmosphere, and was incredibly clean. I had a yummy vegan scouse with a side of camomile tea. Marie was so grateful; when I told her it was paid for by The Bank of America, she said, "The Bank of America is paying for this?! But they don't even know me. They must be very lovely people."
It is great to hear all about these positive experiences and another HUGE thank you to Bank of America for making this happen for our lovely Love Your Neighbour lot. When it comes down to it, there isn’t much better than being able to enjoy a brew and a chat with a friend!