How One Family Turned Their Son’s Love Of Cooking Into A Community Cafe

In the heart of Shrewsbury, one small café is doing much more than serving coffee and homemade meals — it’s creating a welcoming space for families, children with special educational needs, and the wider community.

For Donna and Gregg Jones, opening the café wasn’t just a business decision. It was deeply personal.

Their 12-year-old son Harvey, who is autistic, has always loved cooking. From mixing ingredients in the kitchen to helping prepare food, cooking became a passion that gave him confidence and joy. Inspired by his enthusiasm, the family decided to create a café where Harvey could eventually work and thrive.

The café officially opened earlier this year after the couple renovated the premises to make it fully accessible, including installing wheelchair access and accessible toilet facilities.

Accessibility was a priority from the beginning because the family understands firsthand how important inclusive spaces can be.

Harvey has already started helping out with small shifts at the café, and the experience has been transformational. According to his mother, working in the café has encouraged him to become more social and interact with customers.

One recent moment stood out in particular — Harvey received a £10 tip from a customer after delivering food to their table, something that left him “absolutely made up.”

But the café’s mission goes beyond one family.
Donna and Gregg are parents to four children, including another son who uses a wheelchair.

Their experiences raising children with special educational needs opened their eyes to the lack of support and inclusive social spaces available for families like theirs.
Now, they hope their café can help fill that gap.

The couple wants the venue to become a hub for SEN families, offering opportunities for parents and children to connect through activities, meetups, and community events. They are also exploring ways to create inclusive employment opportunities, including plans to work with a care company to support an adult with Down’s Syndrome in gaining experience at the café.

What makes the story especially touching is how much of a family effort the café has become. Their younger daughter enjoys preparing tables at weekends, while their teenage daughter also helps out regularly. The business has evolved into a place where every family member contributes in their own way.

Donna says the world can sometimes be “ignorant” toward people with special educational needs, but seeing the positive impact the café has already had on Harvey gives her hope for what the future could look like — not just for her family, but for others too.

At a time when many businesses focus purely on profit, this small café in Shrewsbury is proving that compassion, accessibility, and community can be just as important as what’s on the menu.

Sometimes, the most meaningful businesses begin with a simple dream — in this case, a young boy who just loved to cook.