Okay, so here we are again… another blog by the founder and director of Sustainable Café Ltd.
It goes like this, inasmuch that we at Sustainable Café very much champion those with various issues of vulnerabilities, moreover, those with past, preset or potentially future aspects of substance abuse, domestic abuse, ill mental health, homelessness, long term unemployed, learning challenges, physical disabilities, LBGTQI+ and so on.
Over the course of my 30 year career in the Third Sector, I believe I have met at least one person from each of those demographics. For example, the woman a few doors down from my partner’s of which you can hear screams, a close family member who dealt with the vices of alcoholism, a patron from my old project who had issues of homelessness, at a different project, the guy who lost a fortune gambling… or indeed, my old friend who had family issues and his own mental health demons, who turned to drugs to be part of a community so he could feel to be part of something rather than endure social isolation.
Personally, I am not immune from these vulnerable demographics. I myself have experienced homelessness and lived in a homeless hostel for men, I have endured long periods of unemployment and indeed have a chronic mental health condition.
That is exactly how I started my career in the vulnerable sector over twenty years ago. I can mostly empathize with people who have these weights holding them down rather rise above their circumstances. I am there, have been there and will probably here ten years on.
As someone from the vulnerable demographic, I cannot cure other’s issues of say depression, psychosis or even physical ailments someone may have.
On the other hand, I have understanding and patience. In view of that, Sustainable Café Ltd absolutely stands in solidarity with those who may be marginalized from mainstream society… We absolutely support the rights of the LGBTQI+ communities, the wonderful diverse cultures across the wonderful city of London; the nerds, jocks, homeless, isolated, ill mental health, people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and everyone else I might have missed out in my lists.
As part of Sustainable Café, I have been in a lot of dark places and empathize with those who may find themselves in unfair circumstances.
London is part of me and as part of her, I embrace all the cultures, subcultures and personalities of almost everyone who so clearly have souls, hearts, feelings, ambitions, hopes and dreams.
Sustainable Café Ltd is not just about looking after the environment through sustainable development, but also the humans within it. We want to ensure the people who make things for us to sell to you have a voice, that everyone in our variety of communities have something to say and are heard and that those of us with ill mental health, inter alia, have a real presence everywhere we go.
In solidarity….
With warmest wishes,
Mark Banham
Founder/ Director of Sustainable Café Ltd
