Date published: 18th June 2021

North Norfolk District Council are thrilled to announce the contract to run the staff restaurant at the Cromer offices has been awarded to local charity About With Friends.

The charity supports adults and children with learning difficulties to live the life they choose and part of their extensive range of services includes their workskills programmed designed to teach skills for life and work.

Within this service AWF have their catering department where members not only learn to cook for themselves, but for outside events such as weddings and corporate hospitality. They also run a very successful café in Cromer town centre, as well as a recently re-launched shop, moving away from a typical charity shop to an outlet for upcycled furniture and items made by its members ranging from bird boxes and art, to t-shirts printed in their workshop with original artwork.

After meeting with the team at AWF, it was clear that they were able to provide healthy, appetising meals and snacks while also giving the opportunity for those involved with the charity to learn essential life skills.

Helen Dalton-Hare BEM, Chief Executive Officer at About with Friends, said: “I can’t tell you how excited everybody is. We will be so proud to provide catering services for our North Norfolk District Council staff. Members are going to get fabulous experience in NNDC’s kitchens and a whole new range of opportunities. We have members who are so ready for this opportunity and are looking forward to meeting everybody at the Council”

NNDC are glad to be leading the way in giving adults with learning difficulties the opportunity to do real work and, with the right support, have the ability to be a successful part of a professional catering service.

Cllr Lucy Shire, NNDC’s Portfolio Holder for Organisational Resources, commented: “I am delighted that we have been able to reflect our drive for equality through the award of this contract and we have helped to create more opportunities for learning new skills. I look forward to the visiting the canteen and meeting the AWF team.”

In addition to its workskills service AWF also provide home support and outreach, respite breaks, adult and children’s leisure services and bespoke service giving individual one to one support.