11-17th May 2009, Jessica Odubayo, East End Life

Social enterprise offers tasty fresh food, a place to socialise and training opportunities.

A new community cafe is serving Poplar with healthy, fresh and affordable food, training opportunities and space for people to socialise.

Cafe Relax, run by social enterprise Flavour Gateway Catering [part of City Gateway's social enterprise hub], employs three staff and eight trainees who are learning skills in cooking, customer service and finance.

Residents flocked to the Ricardo Street venue on opening day on April 29 to taste some of the fresh food on offer, including chick pea curry and rice, shepherds pie, fruit crumble and other treats.

"Cafe Relax will provide access to affordable, healthy food and a hugely valuable social space," said Rachel Claydon, manager of Flavour Gateway.

She said the nearby Hind Grove Estate had some of the worst health problems in the country, and residents' low consumption of fruit and vegetables was a particular problem.

Volunteer and trainee Kelia Mendes, who has been working at the cafe since January, said: "I have learnt to cook, to use catering machinery, and customer service skills. I've met nice people and get to try out the recipes on my children."

Cafe Relax at Lansbury Lodge, 117 Ricardo Street, Poplar serves breakfast, lunch, sandwiches, deserts and drinks from 9.30am to 2pm, on weekdays. It is part of Well London, a programme aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being.