By Carole Levy
Little Teapot café in Lara was born out of a ‘light bulb moment’ that Sarah Chaney had back in November 2014.
This moment came at a time when Sarah had three young children – one a newborn – and had recently taken redundancy from her 10-year senior management role at the ABC.
Because Sarah had suffered mild post-natal depression and a post-partum hemorrhage nine days following the birth of her youngest, she knew her ‘project’ would involve supporting mums with young children and others going through hard times.
After much research, Sarah set up Little Teapot as a charitable venture, under the oversight of an independent board. The Little Teapot team liaised with the local maternal child health service, setting up a free voucher program for new mums and other battlers to use for barista-made coffee at Little Teapot, but that’s just one community-focused aspect.
Sarah says so many businesses, individuals and organisations stepped up to support Little Teapot’s launch – 13 Major Sponsors, five Partners, and no less than 19 key supporters.
“It’s a real community effort and we couldn’t be more appreciative,” Sarah says.
“We haven’t raised a lot of money, but what we have given is a lot of love and support since we opened four-and-a-half years ago. Little Teapot and our volunteers – numbering around 25 at the moment – and a small paid team are a joy to work with.”
“And our customers – or Teapotters as we call them – come from all walks of life and are truly amazing.
“Our volunteers include Moss, a gorgeous 82-year-old man who helps in all sorts of ways and the youngest is wonderful Declan, now 16. He’s on the autism spectrum and comes in on school holidays for work experience. Mums with their kids in school are fantastic volunteers, as are others we have who want to give back to their community, learn new skills and meet new people.”
MUMS GROUP
“We resumed our New to the Community sessions earlier this month, which is fantastic. This is our 10th group so far, designed for mums new to the Lara community to meet other mums, or any who have babies or pre-schoolers. Each of the six sessions is hosted by Carol, our trained family therapist. They’re fun and informative.”
THE FOOD
The café’s decor is thrilling for kids, with two large outdoor play areas and one indoor, designed to safely engage and delight. The ambience is perfect for getting around a table loaded with delicious food, and great coffee from Change Coffee, an ethically sourced and sustainable brand that partners with World Vision.
“As well as fresh, homemade cupcakes and scones, we provide delicious cooked breakfasts. Morning teas and lunches include goodies such as focaccias, baked potatoes, frittatas, fruit toast – and salads during summer.
“For the kids, we have toasties and platters, and also offer menu options to meet dietary requirements.
“Our food is delicious and simple and of the best quality, and our prices are really good value.”
Online bookings are recommended to keep numbers within Covid-safe protocols.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
“We welcome new volunteers who simply need to go to our website and express their interest. I’m sure they’ll love being part of the Teapot team as much as we all do.”
Little Teapot, 76 Flinders Avenue, Lara. Opens 9am-2pm Monday-Friday. Enquiries: 5291 5064 or www.littleteapot.co
