A NEW café has opened its doors in Warrington to help support people with mental health conditions.

Making Space, the health and social care charity, has relaunched its Warrington Day Service on Allen Street as the Connect Hub, which features the newly opened Café Connect.

The café, which is open to the public, provides meals at a low cost, as well as a place for members of the community to meet and socialise.

It is hoped the café will help reduce loneliness and social isolation, which are often linked to mental health issues.

The café will provide a place for members of the community to meet and socialise  (Image: Making Space) Nick Farmer, chief operating officer at Making Space, said: "The addition of Café Connect to our Connect Hub day service is truly exciting.

"It provides a friendly, inclusive space where local residents can connect with one another, enjoy budget-friendly meals, and continues to provide a safe space for those who have benefitted from support from the Connect Hub.

"The café is more than just a place to eat; it’s a community connector aimed at reducing loneliness and social isolation, which are often linked to mental health challenges."

The Connect Hub is open to people aged 18 and over who have low-level mental health conditions and provides them with a secure and nurturing environment.

People who use the Connect Hub will receive 12 months of personalised support designed to help them become more independent, aid recovery and encourage them to become active members of the community.

They will also be able to access the various groups and activities on offer.

As well as Café Connect, the Connect Hub also takes part in the national Chatty Café initiative.

This sees dedicated Chatter and Natter tables set up where people can talk and socialise with one another.

These sessions are held every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm.

Connect Hub also takes part in the national Chatty Café initiative (Image: Making Space) Mr Farmer added: "In addition, and in response to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we are also launching the ‘Together Café’ project to help individuals on low incomes access nutritious food.

"We will offer practical sessions on budgeting for healthy eating, cooking from scratch with ingredients to take home, culminating in a cookbook with valuable tips for affordable food shopping."

The Together Café project has been funded by a £19,956 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Café Connect is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm, with extended weekend hours available on the Making Space website.

For more information about the Connect Hub and Café Connect, or to make a referral for support, go to their website.