Mission Focus for August 2026 - Cara Coffee Shop
Cara Coffee opened in March 2019. It is a social enterprise between Great Shelford Free Church and Romsey Mill, a charity that works with children, teenagers, and families in the local area.
For years GSFC had the vision for turning the empty building at 29 High Street, Great Shelford into a coffee shop but it was in 2018 that the vision started to become a reality. Its aim was to be a resource for the village, an opportunity for church to be in the community, a place where people could meet as well as being an extra resource for church activities.
Volunteers are a particularly important part of the work of Cara Coffee. Many, but not all are retired from full-time work but still enjoy the opportunity of working with others for a few hours each week especially to support a charity and the local community. We also welcome Duke of Edinburgh and work experience students as well as University students on breaks.
Here is a comment from one of our volunteers:
“Volunteering at Cara Coffee has been a rewarding experience. It has enabled me to gain practical hospitality and customer service experience while contributing to a community-focused organisation. The role has improved my confidence, teamwork, and communication skills, and I have enjoyed supporting customers and working alongside other volunteers to help the café run successfully.”
It’s also lovely to receive compliments and encouragement from customers:
“When my wife was alive, I could talk to her about things on my mind, but I know now that there will be listening ears at Cara and that is so helpful and supportive.”
And a comment from a former volunteer:
“Due to a meaningful change in circumstances this year I had to be on the other side of the counter, as it were. It was salutary to realise that this is what life is like for many of our customers on a permanent basis. On days when there was no-one who I knew, and staff were all busy, I felt sad and lonely, but when someone had time to stop and chat, it made all the difference to what was often a quite boring day, albeit my life choice for now.”
Cara Coffee is open Tuesdays to Fridays, 9am till 4pm, Saturdays 10am till 1:30pm and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. A variety of teas and coffees along with other hot or cold drinks, delicious cakes, including gluten free, dairy free and vegan, home-made scones, savoury snacks, and the fresh vegetable soups are made on the premises.
Cara Coffee is a business which like many others since the pandemic has struggled with the cost-of-living crisis. One of our principal aims is to financially support Romsey Mill. It is very difficult balancing the wish to offer more reasonable prices than other food outlets with the actual rise in cost of supplies.
So, please support Cara Coffee, either as a customer or as a volunteer. There is always a warm welcome for you at Cara Coffee.