BOSSES at a Bradford cafe and community venue have launched a £10,000 fundraising appeal to help it to survive after it re-opens next month.

Bread+Roses will reopen on Monday, April 12 under the next stage of the lockdown restrictions being lifted, but it needs help to survive beyond that.

The North Parade venue, which first opened in August 2018, saw the former Forks Cafe and grade-two listed building, transformed into a home for co-working, vegan and vegetarian food, and a popular community space.

The site's mission is to create a positive and supportive space for the people of Bradford to come together.

The project was initially made possible with loan investment from Key Fund’s Northern Impact Fund, The Co-operative Loan Fund, and grants from Bradford Council’s City Centre Growth Zone scheme and Strategic Investment Fund.

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However, having lost all its revenue during lockdown and forecasting a budget deficit despite significant savings, Bread+Roses needs the public's help to survive and continue its mission to build a platform of opportunities and resources to make great things happen in our beloved city.

The co-operative aims to raise £10,000 via an online crowdfunder page, which is supported by a match-funding pledge of £5,000 from Power to Change’s Crowdmatch Fund.

Bread+Roses is offering a variety of exciting new rewards, from free space hire, to all inclusive away day experience for work teams, and just a simple pay it forward for a coffee or two. To support this community-focused initiative, go to crowdfunder.co.uk/supportbreadandrosesbd

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the team have been working behind the scenes to make lots of improvements.

Two private and fully furnished offices are available to rent, equipped with superfast internet and professional video conferencing facilities.

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In particular, Bread+Roses bosses are looking for larger donations from businesses in the Bradford district. As a reward to participating firms, it is offering to feature all-inclusive away days for teams of up to eight people as well as opportunities to access Bread+Roses' workspaces and resources.

Volunteers are also needed to run the cafe, workspaces, and building on a shoestring budget. To take part, or for more information, go to thebreadandroses.coop/get-involved

Flexible co-working and private meeting rooms as well as the print facilities and art room will be available at Bread+Roses from April 12.

A new multimedia room has been made possible with funding from National Lottery’s Coronavirus Response Fund, which includes community-use film and audio equipment, studio mac, editing software, and free tutorials to help new starters make their own film or audio podcast.

A 1,000 sq ft fully-equipped commercial kitchen is also available to rent daytime and evenings seven days per week, perfect for food delivery, catering, or batch production. Bread+Roses aims to provide facilities and resources to help to act as a launchpad for new and emerging Bradford businesses.

Anyone interested in supporting Bread+Roses financially, getting involved, or hiring a space can get in touch by emailing: hello@thebreadandroses.coop.