Down's syndrome cafe facing closure due to deficit
BBCA charity that supports children and young people with Down's syndrome is facing a £30,000 deficit.
Sunshine and Smiles may have to stop funding its free activity sessions and close its Headingley cafe and shop, which employs 10 young people with Down's syndrome.
Charity service manager Ailith Harley-Roberts said the organisation was supporting more than 180 families.
"Its a very precious resource for a very important community in Leeds, we just want to make sure we keep offering all that we do," she said.
The charity began in 2011 as a small group of parents who all had a baby with Down's syndrome.
Ms Harley-Roberts said it had since "snowballed".
It runs speech and language therapy sessions for more than 80 children and young people, as well as offering activity sessions, which include swimming, football, music and a baby and toddler group.
All of its services for children, young people and their families are free.
Its cafe, 21 Co. was initially a six-month project but has been running for four-and-a-half years.
It employed six young people with Down's syndrome when it opened in 2019, but has 10 employees now.
Ms Harley-Roberts said the cafe aimed to change the discourse around people with learning disabilities in employment.
She said: "It helps them building independence, earning money.
"It's not something that's common place for someone with Down's syndrome or any learning disability to be in employment."
The cafe also supports the local community by selling homemade paintings, jewellery and cards by local makers.
Kate Stephens began working with the cafe in 2019 by selling her paintings and now co-manager.
She said: "It's a great place to work. It has a really nice community vibe.
"It's brilliant [for the young people] because they improve on their skills."
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.