Our Shop & Cafe
- Community based socialising & learning -
An involved community ..
Our shop and cafe is a warm, vibrant place to enjoy a coffee, have lunch with a friend or experience some of that old fashioned sweet shop charm. It is also a place for the people that come to Sweet Surprise to get involved with the community, practice valuable skills and build their confidence.
Our community-based way of working is a refreshing change to the buildings-based support of the past, creating a unique space for learning, socialising and new experiences.
Our cafe and shop
Step off Silver Street and into our cafe where you’ll be welcomed with a smile.
Enjoy a cup of coffee or choose from a range of delicious hot meals (including breakfast) and homemade cakes. The wonderful coffee and fresh ingredients we use in the cafe are all sourced locally during our local shopping trips, as part of our commitment to supporting the community that we’re proud to be part of.
Within the Sweet Surprise cafe you’ll find our old fashioned sweet shop, with plenty of traditional sweets to choose from.
You can also browse and buy from a selection of handmade crafts and decorations made by the people who attend our day service. They’re full of creative ideas, so there’s always something new to see – from intricately detailed chains for glasses to handmade solitaire sets.
Our trainees work alongside our full-time staff in the kitchen, shop and cafe to prepare food, serve tables and provide service with a smile.
Testimonials
Learn, grow and enjoy
Being part of our business gives our trainees the opportunity to build useful skills, grow their confidence and enjoy close connections with our local community through outcomes-based activities. We rotate throughout the week so that everyone gets an opportunity to get involved with tasks including
- Shopping for ingredients in Ilminster with support
- Acting as a ‘runner’ for extra trips to the shops, post office and bank
- Cooking and baking homemade food and cakes in the kitchen
- Acting as a waiter, serving and clearing away tables
- Weighing and bagging up sweets in our old fashioned sweet shop
- Serving slush from our slush machine
- Using the till to ring through sales and handling money
Opening hours and menu
Our shop and cafe are open 9.30am-3.30pm daily.
We serve a range of drinks, hot food and homemade cakes throughout the day.
In our shop you’ll find traditional sweets, our popular slush machine and a range of handmade items and decorations for sale.
Get Involved
Do you know someone who’d enjoy being part of our shop and cafe? Find out more about our community-based day service for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
