Emmerdale’s Eric Pollard to open enterprise café at Piece Hall

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Actor Chris Chittell, who plays the loveable rogue Eric Pollard in Emmerdale, is to attend the official opening of a new café at Halifax’s Piece Hall at 11am on Thursday 30th September.

Refresh café is a new enterprise run by the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Calderdale Inclusion Support Service (CISS), which offers vocational training for adults who use mental health services in Calderdale.

The Trust, which provides specialist mental health services to the people of Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, is working in collaboration with the CISS to give local people with mental health problems the opportunity to gain the training and experience necessary to help them on the path towards paid work, voluntary work or further training.

The first trainees joined the café in July and are already growing in confidence and gaining new skills to show to potential employers or future trainers they have the skills required to enter the workplace.

It’s not just all go in the café, but the adjoining workshop is buzzing with activity. Another group of people looking to develop their vocational skills in woodwork have been making all the furniture for the café and the space will act as a showroom to show off their skills. The furniture on show will all be available for sale.

Dale Szydelko, who works for the CISS, said, "Through the Refresh project we will be providing training and work experience in a real working environment. This can be vital in increasing people’s confidence and helping them back on the right track. The project has got off to a great start and we are already seeing people’s skills developing. It’s great that Chris has come along today to show his support and help attract new visitors to the café."

Anybody is welcome to attend the opening and there will be a special buffet for the opening.

Emmerdale’s Eric Pollard to open enterprise café at Piece Hall

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