The Holy Trinity Church coffee bar, on the corner of Market Gate and Sankey Street, was awarded £255,490 in funding over five years.
The money will be used to support and develop the coffee bar’s work in Warrington.
The coffee bar is not just a café, but a community hub that provides support to those in need.
It is run by a team of volunteers, including pastoral support worker and coffee bar coordinator, Steve Wright, and Reverend Jill Wheatley.
They currently open the café on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to noon, and on Fridays from 10am to 1pm.
They serve free refreshments, offer pastoral and practical care, and provide a space for people to feel welcomed and accepted.
Steve Wright, pastoral support worker and coffee bar coordinator, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.
“We have achieved so much by sheer grit and determination, and through the tireless dedication of our volunteers.
“However, since Covid, demand for our services has grown and we’ve been running at an unsustainable loss – like most charities, we’ve been hit by rising costs and falling donations as the cost-of-living crisis has become embedded in everyday life.
“Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to maintain and develop our offering, enabling us to help more people in more ways to fulfil their potential, live well and lead fuller lives.”
The funding from the National Lottery will enable the coffee bar to expand its operations.
They will be able to open for an additional day, helping even more people in the community.
A new role of capacity, partnerships, and funding coordinator will also be created, and energy-saving improvements will be undertaken.
The coffee bar not only serves as a place of support and community but also provides volunteering opportunities.
One of the coffee bar’s volunteers said: “The team here helped me through such a difficult time in my life.
“Once I got back on my feet, I knew I wanted to volunteer to help others the same way I was helped.
“Now I assist in the coffee bar and it’s so rewarding to support people facing similar struggles.”
The coffee bar is part of several community initiatives, including being a Warm Welcome Space, a Place of Welcome, and a Network of Kindness Hub.
They are also a Warrington in Mind member and are quality accredited by Warrington Borough Council’s EQIS scheme.
The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, recently launched its strategy, ‘It starts with community’, which aims to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030.
The funder has four key missions: to support communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive, and enable people to live healthier lives.
Thanks to National Lottery players, last year the National Lottery Community Fund awarded over half a billion pounds (£686.3 million) to communities across the UK, supporting over 13,700 projects.
The Holy Trinity Church coffee bar is just one of the many projects that will benefit from this funding, allowing them to continue their valuable work in the Warrington community.
If you would like to find out more about the coffee bar or are interested in volunteering, visit Holy Trinity’s website, or contact the team directly.