Café Beam

At our two beautiful cafés, we provide work placements to young people with disabilities and learning difficulties, serving delicious, locally grown and fresh food from Ouseburn Farm.

Our Gosforth Menu

View our seasonal food and drinks selection

Our Ouseburn Menu

View our seasonal food and drinks selection

Café Beam Gosforth

We provide essential work experience placements at our Café Beam in Gosforth – a beautiful café which is run by a team of young people with a variety of disabilities and learning difficulties.

These youngsters help to prepare all of the produce, serve customers, operate tills, handle money and provide a warm welcome to many different members of our local community.

Café Beam is a must-visit for anyone who enjoys delicious, home-cooked food and cakes, hot drinks and amazing service, as provided by our wonderful young people. We also love our doggy customers, so please feel free to bring your four-legged friends!

Café Beam @ Ouseburn Farm

In March 2023 we teamed up with Ouseburn Farm Charity, to open our second amazing venue – Café Beam @ Ouseburn Farm.

Café Beam @ Ouseburn Farm is run by a team of young people with a variety of disabilities and learning difficulties. Our Café serves flavourful, home-cooked food, hot drinks, cakes and offers an amazing customer experience.

Delicious Seasonal Food

Using quality, local produce including Acorn Dairy and Northumberland Eggs, our team produce fantastic breakfasts, brunches, lunches, afternoon teas and sweet delights. Our seasonal menus are prepared in our 5/5 Food Hygiene-rated kitchen, are guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds whatever your preferences and dietary requirements.

Work Placements

Due to a huge increase in demand, many more work placements have been created to enable disabled youngsters in our region to gain work skill, knowledge, confidence and experience as they prepare for the world of work and a more fulfilling adulthood.

This collaboration provides an exciting progression for youngsters preparing to leave education. More than 42 new placement opportunities have been created along with two brand new supervisor positions for young people with learning difficulties.

If you would like to know more about our work placements, see here (work placement agreement). Or please get in touch with tracey@smileforlife.org.uk or call 0191 284 4166

Volunteering

Our young people are mentored throughout their placement by dedicated volunteers who provide hands-on support and encouragement. Volunteer mentors demonstrate tasks, provide positive reinforcement and support youngsters to become as independent as possible in the café.

Smile for Life is a welcoming community of young people, volunteers, staff and supporters. In this rewarding role you can meet new people, learn new skills and enhance your local community.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, by emailing volunteering@smileforlife.org.uk.

Private Hire

Why not hire our gorgeous Café Beam premises for an intimate gathering? Whether it is a family party, girly afternoon tea or birthday event we can cater for your needs at our Gosforth or Ouseburn venues.

For more information contact ines@smileforlife.org.uk or call 0191 284 4166.

Outside Catering

We currently offer a small-selection of outside catering options allowing you to enjoy our amazing Café Beam food at your place of work or family function.

For more information contact kate@smileforlife.org.uk or call 0191 284 4166.