Cafe rebrand brings charity connections closer to the community in Middlesbrough

Fork in the Road Cafe is changing, as the social enterprise in the centre of Middlesbrough goes through a rebrand. Run by local Lived Experience Recovery Organisation, Recovery Connections, since 2019, the cafe – which stands on the site of the old Romer Parish Toy Shop – will now be known as Connections Community Cafe.

Not only creating a stronger link with the charity itself, it is hoped that the new brand will also forge closer links with  people who visit the town centre, for shopping, food and entertainment. The cafe has simultaneously created a new menu, with a host of extra dishes being added for visitors to choose from.

“After several years of ownership, the time came to refresh our brand and create something more closely aligned to what the cafe is, and offers,” said Dot Smith, CEO of Recovery Connections. “Over the last few years, we’ve established links with local services and charities, and focused on creating a comfortable environment in which affordability and quality are at the front of what we do.”

“Last year, as prices began to steadily rise, we introduced a fixed, £5 meal deal menu, which is still available today. This has proved to be popular with people from all over town, and helped us to establish a link with Night Light CIC, which sees people access food vouchers to be exchanged for a sit-down meal inside the cafe.”

“The new name and brand of the cafe reflects this sort of work more closely , and the friendly, community feel that we’ve established since taking over the cafe, several years ago.”

The not-for-profit cafe already runs alongside fellow social enterprise business, 131 The Venue, and provides catering for events at the venue-for-hire, plus outside catering to order. Recovery Connections also runs another cafe, in Hendon, County Durham, and a catering van used at outside events all over the region. 

All profit from the social enterprises goes back into the charity’s wider work, supporting people into addiction recovery, from alcohol and substance use.

For more information, please contact [email protected], or [email protected] .