The Chatty Café Scheme tackles loneliness through a network of 'Chatter & Natter' tables hosted by volunteers in a range of venues. In East Cambs, Wicken Fen and Ben's Yard Ely are part of the scheme. There are also online Chatty Café sessions.
This activity is good for wellbeing because
- it’s good to talk and meet other people – in person or online
- you can join in with the chat or just listen – Chatter & Natter tables are a friendly and supportive place to be on good days and bad
- you could consider becoming a ‘Chatter & Natter’ volunteer and host a table in a venue in your area. Volunteering can bring purpose and structure to your week, along with a morale boost for doing something beneficial to your community.
“It was so nice to meet Dan and the other Chatty Café regulars – we talked about all sorts and it felt very relaxed and friendly.”
How to contact
Website
Where to go
Ben's Yard
Stuntney Estate
Ely
CB7 5TR
The Docky Hut Cafe
Wicken Fen
Wicken
CB7 5XP
What to expect
Chatter & Natter tables are where people can sit if they are happy to talk to other people. Hundreds of venues offer Chatter & Natter tables, in cafes, pubs, libraries, hospitals – anywhere that people can sit and chat over a coffee. They’ll usually be recognisable by one of the yellow Chatty Cafe Scheme leaflets on display.
Wicken
The Docky Hut Cafe, on the edge of the beautiful Sedge Fen, offers a Chatter & Natter table on the first and third Mondays of the month from 10am-11:30am
Wicken Fen has a large carpark, disabled parking and toilets on-site and an interesting visitor centre with gift shop, to the right of which is situated the Docky Hut Cafe.
The cafe serves a range of refreshments including hot drinks and a choice of locally baked cakes.
Ben’s Yard, Stuntney
Ben’s Yard is situated just outside Ely, off the A142 travelling towards Soham. Its restaurant offers a Chatter & Natter table every Tuesday from 10am-11am.
Ben’s Yard is an artisan retail village with plenty of parking and a children’s play area. As well as the variety of shops on offer, there are walks around the estate where you can get some movement in to your day and enjoy time in nature.
More information
If you’d like to volunteer to set up and host a ‘Chatter & Natter’ table in a venue near you, then you can find out more on this link.
Online Chatty Café Sessions run two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm – 1.30pm. Anyone over 18 is welcome, there is no agenda – just chat and company. To request a Zoom link, email [email protected]
There are Chatty Café venues joining all the time, so do check for venues near you on this link. You’ll find a really useful interactive map there, so if you live, work or spend time for any reason close to the district boundary, you can see which other Chatty venues are nearby.
Joining a Chatter & Natter table is free.
You may need to pay for drinks and refreshments at the venue.
How to contact
Website
Where to go
Ben's Yard
Stuntney Estate
Ely
CB7 5TR
The Docky Hut Cafe
Wicken Fen
Wicken
CB7 5XP
