New venture opened this week
New Start Highland has opened the doors to The Yard Café this week - a contemporary hands-on training space designed to help lift people out of poverty.
The café forms a key part of a £500,000 project to develop Scotland's first Training & Reuse Village, a hub that will create opportunities for people to build practical skills while championing a circular community.
Building on the support New Start Highland already provides to 1,500 people each year to tackle poverty, homelessness and social isolation across the region, The Yard and its sister Training Kitchen will create up to 40 hospitality training and employment opportunities annually.
The café serves its own blend of coffee from Inverness Coffee Roasting Company. It offers a selection of delicious cakes, made daily onsite, alongside fresh, affordable breakfast and lunch options.
At the Training and Reuse Village, customers can now donate furniture and homeware, browse New Start Highland’s pre-loved hub and enjoy a coffee all under the same roof.
Yvonne Naylor, The Yard’s Café Manager, said: “Today marks a hugely exciting day for us as we open our doors to the public. The Yard has been created as an inclusive space for the whole community. It’s a place to catch up with friends and will be a welcoming environment where those experiencing loneliness can build meaningful connections. It will also serve as a training ground for hospitality students to develop their skills.
“More than just a café, it represents a pivotal step for us creating safe, supportive spaces where people can grow, learn and thrive together. I can’t wait to welcome those from our local community and beyond. As winter sets in it’s the perfect location to sit and relax in front of our woodburning stove.”
In line with the organisation’s commitment to sustainability, the Yard features a menu crafted from fresh, homegrown produce sourced from the neighbouring New Start Highland Gardens. Running the café will be a team of staff supported by trainees undergoing valuable employability training.
Menu highlights include a locally sourced full Scottish breakfast priced at only £9.99, French Toast, Caledonian Eggs and Roasted Cauliflower Dahl.
The Yard Café is open five days a week, 7.30am-4pm Monday to Friday and will be open on weekends in the new year. It has been made possible thanks to funding from The Wolfson Foundation, Randal Charitable Foundation, THC Common Good Fund, Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust and Foundation Scotland.
