New monthly community café opens in Chichester to welcome people with learning disabilities or autism

Aldingbourne Trust is delighted to announce the successful launch of a brand-new monthly community café in Chichester, created and run by WorkAid as part of the Aldingbourne Trust. The café will bring together adults with learning disabilities or autism in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment, supporting social skills development, confidence building, and the opportunity to form lasting friendships.

The launch event in January 2026 was a huge success, welcoming over 60 customers through the doors, with some attendees travelling from as far as Horsham. Feedback from guests was overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing how much they valued having a new, dedicated space where they felt comfortable, included, and part of a community.

Opening once a month, the community café offers a relaxed and friendly setting where people can enjoy conversation, play games, get creative, make new friends, and of course, enjoy cake. A £1 voluntary contribution is requested on entry, which includes hot and cold drinks, cake, and a range of activities. The venue offers disabled parking and accessible facilities, ensuring no one misses out.

Katie Williams, Deputy Manager and Community Partnership Lead at WorkAid, Aldingbourne Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud to be running these monthly community café events. Our goal is to welcome as many people as possible into our inclusive environment and create meaningful opportunities for people we support to work as café team members, learning all aspects of both front and back of house roles. The smiles on everyone’s faces are what drives me to work hard for people in my community.”

The café also provides valuable work experience for adults with learning disabilities and autism, helping them to develop employability skills, confidence, and independence in a supportive, real-world setting.
The community café will take place on the last Friday of every month at 104 The Hornet, Chichester.
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If you are a West Sussex business looking to create a more diverse workforce, please contact Katie Williams, Workaid Deputy Manager & Community Partnership Lead at [email protected]