Behind the scenes of Nightingale House’s successful Caffi Cwtch

A passionate team of staff and volunteers have been serving the public and patients at a local hospice for seven years.

Caffi Cwtch, at Nightingale House Hospice, not only plays a key role in the local community – but it also helps to raise vital funds for patient care.

It is spearheaded by Peter Jackson, catering manager and head chef for the last seven years, along with nine paid staff members and around 50 volunteers.

Together they provide food for customers and for all patients in the Inpatient Unit and Wellbeing Programme at the hospice.

“The café isn’t just for customers who want a bite to eat. It’s also a place where patients’ relatives come before or after they have visited their loved one,” said Peter.

“Sometimes they come to the café for some downtime when they are visiting. Occasionally, patients themselves will come to the café too.

“We provide food not only for customers but also for all our patients in the Inpatient Unit and that are on the Wellbeing Programme.

“That’s why we don’t take orders at the café between 11:45am and 12:15pm because patients are always our priority.”

“We have customers who come to the café every week.

“There have been some that have been coming here since Caffi Cwtch opened, like the Rotary Club, who come almost every Wednesday morning since we opened.”

The Caffi Cwtch Team is passionate about creating tasty dishes for customers and patients to enjoy, but sometimes patients have specific dietary needs.

Peter explained: “We easily cater for different patient requirements.

“Even when patients have special diets, like soft or pureed diets, we make food that tastes good but can cater to their needs.

“Some patients need food to ensure their medication works properly, the patients benefit from the food being prepared fresh on the day, and we can cater to their tastes.

“We try to get to know the patients, build a relationship with them, make sure they are happy and eating.

“If a patient would like something, we will always try our best to provide it – even if we have to pop out and get the ingredients, especially for them.

“We have had some out-of-the-ordinary requests before, like porridge with garlic and ginger. But we do it. We always accommodate everyone’s tastes.”

Caffi Cwtch is based in Nightingale House Hospice, on Chester Road, in Wrexham. More information can be found on the hospice’s website.