Falkirk community craft cafe celebrates its first anniversary

A project which has helped bring people together has celebrated its first anniversary.
By Fiona Dobie
Published 8th Nov 2023, 10:32 BST
Those attending the Bainsford and Langlees Craft Cafe celebrated its first anniversary last week. (Pic: Michael Gillen)Those attending the Bainsford and Langlees Craft Cafe celebrated its first anniversary last week. (Pic: Michael Gillen)
Those attending the Bainsford and Langlees Craft Cafe celebrated its first anniversary last week. (Pic: Michael Gillen)

The Bainsford and Langless Craft Cafe held a special birthday celebration last Friday to mark the occasion.

The craft cafe, which runs every Friday in Bainsford Community Hall, is run in conjunction with the Corra Foundation, Bainsford Parish Church and The People’s Parish Project and has been going from strength to strength over the past year.

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Amy Lord, project leader for The People’s Parish, explained: “The craft cafe was set up initially as a response to the cost of living crisis last year and was essentially a warm space. People were able to come along and have a bowl of soup and a cuppa. We wanted people to come along and give them something to do, so we decided to make it into a craft and games cafe.

Amy Lord, Creative Fieldworker The People’s Parish Bainsford and Langlees; David Henderson, Community Development Lead Strathcarron Hospice and Angela Smith, Corra Foundation Community Co-ordinator (Bainsford and Langlees) with the blanket created by those attending the craft cafe which has been donated to Strathcarron Hospice. (Pic: Michael Gillen)Amy Lord, Creative Fieldworker The People’s Parish Bainsford and Langlees; David Henderson, Community Development Lead Strathcarron Hospice and Angela Smith, Corra Foundation Community Co-ordinator (Bainsford and Langlees) with the blanket created by those attending the craft cafe which has been donated to Strathcarron Hospice. (Pic: Michael Gillen)
Amy Lord, Creative Fieldworker The People’s Parish Bainsford and Langlees; David Henderson, Community Development Lead Strathcarron Hospice and Angela Smith, Corra Foundation Community Co-ordinator (Bainsford and Langlees) with the blanket created by those attending the craft cafe which has been donated to Strathcarron Hospice. (Pic: Michael Gillen)

"We’ve been on almost every week for the last year. The cafe is growing every week and we have more people coming in all the time. Some come in for a cuppa and a chat, while others bring their knitting with them. We have people coming in from all walks of life. It’s open to anyone and everyone is welcome.

"It’s about bringing the community together and that’s what it’s been doing. There are new friendships and supportive networks being formed.”

It’s not just been about bringing people together and tackling isolation, those attending have also been using their crafting skills – some of them newly found – to help others through projects at the cafe.

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Earlier this year, those attending the cafe knitted or crocheted a square which was made into a blanket. At Friday’s birthday celebrations David Henderson, community development lead at Strathcarron Hospice, collected the blanket which the cafe has donated to the hospice. The group have also been busy knitting little hats and cannula covers to be donated to the neonatal unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

The Bainsford and Langlees Craft Cafe is open on Fridays from 11.30am to 2.30pm in Bainsford Community Hall.

Related topics:FalkirkDavid Henderson