Friends from a Salford church have opened up their regular weekly coffee mornings to the general public to help build community spirit. Salford Now reporter Max Lonsdale-Smith went along to meet them at St Clement’s Community Centre.
The free coffee morning is run by Pat, church warden for St Clement’s in Ordsall, however it’s safe to say everyone who goes chips in their fair share every now and again.
As soon as I entered I could tell this group had known each other for a while yet as an atheist and an outsider being from Hull, they all made me feel at home.
As soon as I sat down I was offered a cup of coffee, which I happily indulged in. Biscuits and toasties were also available, brought in by those who frequent the church. McVities digestives (the best choice of biscuit) and homemade ham and cheese toasties were just perfect while I sat and spoke to everyone.
The atmosphere was incredibly welcoming, with the Salford church itself featuring some beautiful architecture inside and out. However I was the newest addition they had in weeks, something I hope changes soon.
It feels like an incredibly safe, open and friendly space unique to itself at a time when we have almost begun to lose our sense of community, something clearly important to Pat and the rest of the church.
She said: “My kids have been brought up in Ordsall, their kids have been brought up in Ordsall. This is my community.
“We used to come in every Thursday anyway, so we just decided to open it up and call it a coffee morning.”
When speaking on how they afford to run the church and community activities like this she told me: “It’s very hard to get grants now, we provide a lot ourselves if we can, but it’s hard work.
” We just want to provide for the community, we welcome anyone. They’re the friendliest people I’ve ever met.”
The church is now one of the only Protestant churches left in the area. Built between 1877-1879, the church closed down in the 1980s but re-opened in 2005.
After my coffee and toastie, Marie showed me around the main worship space, telling me about Sunday service, and their struggle with declining numbers.
“We’re lucky if we get 15 to 20 in service. But we love our church, we have to do what we can to keep going.”
St Clement’s Community Centre in Salford run their free coffee morning every Thursday from 09:30 to 11:30am.
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