Record month for The Strand Community Café as community support continues to grow

The Strand Community Café in Kirkholt is celebrating its busiest month since opening, with volunteers thanking customers, supporters and local organisations for helping the community venue continue to grow.

The café says the past month has been its most successful to date, with increasing numbers of local residents visiting for breakfast, lunch, daily specials and community activities. Managers say the continued support from customers has allowed them to introduce new initiatives while expanding what the café can offer local people.

One of the highlights of the month was the café's World Cup Competition, organised in partnership with its sister venue, The Hive at the Million Pavilion. Together, the two cafés distributed 60 back-to-school packs to local children, helping families prepare for the new school year.

The café has also invested in additional outdoor seating, providing more space for visitors to enjoy refreshments during the warmer months. A newly introduced Book Swap Club has quickly become a popular feature, encouraging visitors to bring along books they have finished and exchange them for something new to read.

Food continues to be at the heart of the café's success. Daily specials have proved particularly popular with regular customers, while the café says its freshly prepared bacon sandwiches remain one of its biggest sellers, with demand showing no signs of slowing.

With the summer holidays now underway, The Strand Community Café has also introduced a £1.50 children's menu in a bid to provide affordable meals for local families during the school break. The initiative forms part of the café's wider commitment to ensuring the venue remains accessible to everyone in the community.

Perhaps the most unusual attraction currently drawing visitors through the doors is the café's new 'How Many Ducks?' competition. Dozens of small rubber ducks have been hidden in plain sight throughout the café, challenging customers of all ages to see how many they can spot during their visit.

The light-hearted competition has quickly become a talking point among visitors, particularly younger customers, adding another family-friendly activity alongside the café's food and community events.

In a message thanking supporters, the team said the café's success would not have been possible without the continued backing of its loyal customers, volunteers and partners. Special thanks were given to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing for placing its trust in HMR Circle – The Volunteer Drivers Service to manage the café, alongside the community hall and kitchen facilities at The Strand in Kirkholt.

The café has become more than simply a place to eat, evolving into an important community hub where residents can meet friends, enjoy affordable meals and take part in local activities. Initiatives such as the Book Swap Club, children's competitions and low-cost family meals reflect its growing role in supporting the wider Kirkholt community.

With record visitor numbers, expanding facilities and a busy programme of community initiatives, The Strand Community Café says it is looking forward to building on its success throughout the rest of the year. In the meantime, anyone visiting is being encouraged to enjoy a bite to eat, browse the books and see just how many hidden rubber ducks they can find.