A well-known Colne Valley day centre for adults with learning difficulties and physical disabilities has opened its own café and shop.

Many of the crafts on sale at Waves in Slaithwaite have been hand-painted by its members. Most are ceramics such as money boxes and plant hangers and the members have also done some brilliant painting on vases.

The café and shop are open Monday to Friday from 10.30am to 3pm and families are encouraged to come along so children can hand-paint their own ceramics while their parents have a cuppa.

The café is a training café where Waves members learn how to make teas, coffees and other drinks and serve the public cake, ice-cream and other goodies.

Café training manager Harriet Jones said: “Our members just love to deal with members of the public so pop in to see us and you’ll be sure of a very warm welcome.

“They are learning new skills so hopefully they’ll be then able to go out on work experience in the cafes, restaurants and bars in Slaithwaite.”

Waves’ ethos is to be very much part of the community which is why the centre has opened its shop at its centre which is next to the Handmade Bakery by the side of Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The cafe gives 10% of everything it makes to the Making Waves charity which supports members and the rest is ploughed back into running the cafe.

Harriet said: “This is the first time I’ve run a café and I absolutely love working here in Waves. I’ve been here two months now and everyone who knows me says how happy I look.”

Other items sold in the shop include cards and pebble art which can be made to order with special messages on them, diamond art bead pictures which take hours for Waves members to make and even upcycled, hand-painted furniture.

Waves is one of the most innovative day centres in the UK. It helps people aged 18 and over with learning and/or physical difficulties lead full lives with activities including performing arts, baking, making music, arts and crafts, virtual reality games, a climbing wall, swimming, walks, horticulture in the Waves garden, caring for animals and sharing what they do on social media.

The members also get the chance to go on exciting holidays to places such as Center Parcs and trips to the Isle of Barra in Scotland. It also provides respite care and overnight breaks when members’ families face a crisis.

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content and copywriting.