A Newcastle Cathedral café created to help people rebuild their lives after involvement with the criminal justice system is marking its fifth anniversary after supporting 64 prison leavers into employment and volunteering.
Café 16 opened at Newcastle Cathedral on 12 August 2021 and has since become both a community café and a training and employment hub for people seeking a fresh start.
The café is run by prisoner rehabilitation charity The Oswin Project, whose social enterprises provide practical skills, work experience and employment opportunities for people leaving prison and others involved in the justice system.
Over the past five years, Café 16 has welcomed thousands of visitors while helping people develop skills, regain confidence and move towards employment.
Fraser, who joined The Oswin Project six years ago, says: “Café 16 has given me the chance to prove myself and move forward. It’s more than just a job – it’s a place where I’ve been able to learn new skills, build my confidence and feel like I’m part of a team. Having that support and belief in me has made a huge difference.”
The Cathedral café follows the model of The Oswin Project’s original Café 16 at HMP Northumberland. The name refers to the 1916 Royal Flying Corps station which formerly occupied the site of the prison.
Food produced through the charity’s work at HMP Northumberland also reaches the Newcastle café, with cakes and scones made by ‘Oswinners’ at the prison as part of opportunities to gain skills and experience.
Café 16 has also developed a wider community role. It hosts local groups and, for the past three years, has provided the venue for Changing Lives’ free Christmas meals for people experiencing homelessness.
The café opened on the same day Newcastle Cathedral welcomed visitors back following its major refurbishment in 2021, and the two organisations are now celebrating five years of working together.
The Revd Fiona Sample MBE, Chief Executive Officer and founder of The Oswin Project, says: “We are so happy that, five years ago, Newcastle Cathedral welcomed Café 16 into this beautiful space. They share our vision of giving people second chances. Café 16 shows what can happen when organisations work together to help people fulfil their potential. We are looking forward to many more years of transforming lives and bringing hope.”
The Very Revd Lee Batson, Dean of Newcastle, says: “Café 16 has become a much-loved part of life at the Cathedral. It brings a real sense of warmth and welcome to this space and has become a valued place for visitors and our community. We are delighted to celebrate five years of working alongside The Oswin Project and all that Café 16 has brought to the Cathedral.”
The anniversary comes during a busy summer at the Cathedral, with Café 16 also welcoming visitors taking part in the citywide Peter Rabbit: Tales on the Tyne art trail.
Five years after opening, the partnership continues to combine a public café in the heart of Newcastle with practical opportunities for people working to build a new life after leaving the criminal justice system.
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