A Salford woman whose cafe builds connections across the community has been honoured for her ‘important’ job.
Deborah Tesfaye, who runs the Love Community Cafe on Seaford Road, has been awarded the borough community-led Be Proud accolade for the positive impact she has had on the community.
The cafe, which has been open for more than six years, acts as a space for those who are in crisis and need wider support.
Deborah said: “I never expected that I would be nominated in my lifetime. This is my first experience and I feel very proud and I’m just thinking forward.
“I feel very happy because people recognise me from whenever I have done something in the community whether it was big or small.
“Whenever I meet people in the local community group and I just join in with the good things they do and celebrate the culture, I just bring them coffee in the café I never thought that anything I did really counted but its nice to know it’s appreciated.”
Deborah, who moved to Salford 20 years ago, has been praised for the love that she has shown those not only in her community but for the city overall.
The judges of the For Housing Be Proud awards said: “Deborah does a really important job, building bridges and connections across the local community.
“Deborah offers help and support to new communities and people in crisis, providing a warm and welcoming environment when people need it the most, showing her deep love not only for her local community but for the city which she now calls home.”
Deborah admitted that during her first three years in Salford she found it hard to settle into her new home but said that day by day it got better.
Older residents, in particular, and her neighbours helped her feel much more comfortable in Salford which she now considers her home.
