STAFF at a Well-being Cafe in Okehampton which has provided a warm space and a lifeline to people over the winter are appealing for donations to pay for vandalism over the weekend.

Someone smashed the window of the premises on St James Street on Saturday night into Sunday, leaving a trail of blood in the direction of the post office and causing £500 damage.

Manager Gemma Partridge was alerted to the damage by a call from the police and by Monday lunchtime, she had arranged for the damage to be repaired.

She is now asking for people in the community who might be able to contribute a donation to help pay the cost of replacing the window.

She said: ‘It would mean a lot if people could support us. The cafe is providing so much support for the local community and I think the local community really appreciate what the cafe is doing for them.

‘Five hundred pounds is a lot of money and a contribution towards this would mean a lot. We are all concerned about the person who has done this too. If they are struggling, we are here to help them. We are not angry at all, we hope the person is ok and we are here to support anyone who needs it.’

The cafe is a not-for-profit enterprise run by a Community Interest Company called My Way Support and staffed by people with experience and training to help those with mental health problems.

Gemma set it up last August to provide a safe space in the town where people can seek help and support.

The cafe is hosting a Single Parent Support Group from 9.30am every Saturday.

The free drop in offers a chance for single parents to get support and advice as well as make new friend. There will also be activities and games for their kids.

This coming Saturday will be the second week for the group.

Gemma said ‘Since we opened the cafe we have discovered lots of people we would like to support and single parents are on the list.Speaking personally, my mum used to go to a support group when we were younger and she said it was a lifeline for her. I thought why not? We couldn’t see anything that was running in Okehampton at the moment. We started this Saturday morning and we didn’t hav anybody come and now the schools are back, hopefully it will pick up.’

She said the group offered moral support, along with information for single parents, and craft sessions as well as toys.’

She added: ‘One of our members of staff Martin Gaughan, his last job was working with single parent families and another member of staff, Ian Hodgson, was a single dad so he has first hand experience of it. This group is aimed at single mums and dads’

The cafe itself was set up last August by My Way Support CIC. ‘We are providing support in the community for people with mental health problems. It became apparent that there was no where in Okehampton where people can just pop in so that wa what we are doing. All the staff have a mental health background. We have had so many people in. We do a pay-it-forward scheme to provide free food and drink. The cafe is open from Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 3pm.

Anyone who would like to support the cafe can make a donation. Bank account 51609428, sort code 53 50 28.