Dudley Council, and national charity Rees Foundation have teamed up with local food outlet, Harry’s Café in Brierley Hill to offer a safe social space for care experienced people in the heart of the community.

Dudley care-experienced young people can now receive one free drink per day at the café, and at a growing number of Rees affiliated cafés across the country. 

Located in the High Street and community driven, Harry’s Café is the realisation by providers, Top Church Training, of a long-held dream to operate their own community coffee shop, offering a warm, safe place to come to for food, advice, support, as well as providing group activities, volunteering opportunities & traineeships for the whole community. 

Care experienced young people simply have to apply for a free Rees Guest Card on the Foundation’s website  to receive their free drinks. 

Councillor David Stanley, cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “This is a fantastic resource for our care experienced young people, I would like to thank Harry’s Café and the Rees Foundation for making this happen and providing such a great safe and social space in the heart of Brierley Hill. An example of community led support at its best!” 

Sarah Collett, Business Development Manager at the Rees Foundation said “We are so excited to be launching our Café Connections project in Brierly Hill! Our ethos at the Rees Foundation is all about bringing care experienced people together and forming life long connections, so this collaboration with Harry’s café will help up provide space for care leavers to come together, support each other and have a great cuppa!" 

Sean Latham, Chair of Dudley Care Leavers Forum said: “ I am delighted to be here at the launch of this service for care leavers. Today marks the culmination of a lot of hard work behind the scenes to get this off the ground, and I am sure that together with the support of the Rees Foundation, Harry’s café will be providing support to care leavers in years to come.”