Achos DU
Darparu Gwasanaethau Iechyd I Cymru a De Orllewin Lloegr
The Case Café Story
The Beginning
Our first ever participant in 2018 on the Able futures programme was supported to transition from his post in local government into self-employment through a Coffee Franchise company. However due to some contractual conflicts between our participant and the Franchise Company the relationship broke down and the agreement was dissolved.
The Managing Director engaged the participant and with a plan to develop engagement activities around a coffee van with the long-term aim of developing a coffee franchise company in partnership with the participant.
Case-UK has purchased the equipment, cups, and coffee van with the aim of progressing Case Café into a sustainable independent business. The company has also established its own coffee brand with fair trade coffee traceable back to the farm in Brazil.
Company Shares. – 10 shares allocated
Ian Benbow (Case-UK) 50%
Gareth Kedward 40%.
Daniel Lowther 10%
Case Café is now registered with Lime leasing with the aim of progressing the Van franchise across the UK from August 2023.
The Farm
The Case Café has been developed as part of the Case-UK story. Ian Benbow established Case-UK in 2016 following a life changing incident which resulted in Ian going through a long period of poor mental health and unable to secure employment. Case-UK has been named after Ian’s Wife and 3 Daughters Catherine, Ashleigh, Sophie, and Emily who were the reason for Ian to continue with life. In 2018, Case-UK secured a contract to provide mental health support to employed individuals with the aim of remaining in employment.
Gareth Kedward was the first individual who registered with Case-UK to access the support in late 2018 and has subsequently gone on to become employed by Case-UK as an In-Work-Support programme manager. The whole ethos of the developments is to support individuals who are seeking work or in work with early intervention and prevention activities that helps secure and sustain employment.
Case Café. Ian and Gareth collaborated on the development of the Case-Café model with the aim of becoming a well-structured Coffee Franchise which is associated with positive well-being. Through the development of the franchise model, there is clear evidence that people will gather around a coffee van and talk about all aspects of life. Not only is the francise model financially sustainable, but the ability also to utilise the Case Café mobile facility as an engagement tool for agencies such as Local Authorities, NHS, Charities and Welfare-to-work providers in furthering their strategic and charitable objectives has become an innovative approach with very positive outcomes.
A synopsis of the above information and description of Case Café