A COMMUNITY focused cafe owner who champions her work together with play, has been recognised by a Big Lottery-funded project.

Lisa Eveleigh, owner of the Old Post Office cafe, on Holton Road, has scooped certificates as part of Play Aloud’s Community Spirit Award celebrating it appreciation of her youth-driven initiatives and her outstanding contribution to the scheme – in the three weeks she has been involved.

Play Aloud, part of a three-year Big Lottery-funded partnership project between Cardiff Council and the Vale of Council, aims to support communities in providing free, open access play opportunities for children and young people aged five to 14.

The project encourages and enables local residents, organisations and groups, with the support of qualified play workers to provide play opportunities for local children, but will finish at the end of May this year.

Lisa regularly organises arts and craft classes and sewing classed for children aged between five and 11 years of age.

Lisa is planning to theme the craft sessions with stories about pirates and the Hungry Caterpillar and cater for both boys and girls, in the near future, with classes on motorbikes and den building and bush craft.

Lisa, 44, said she was shocked to win the recognition after having been anxious about attending the event.

She said: “It was fabulous – so uplifting. There were so many people getting certificates. I felt a bit choked.”

Lisa also struck lucky by winning a hamper of toys which will be used by the children who visit the cafe.

Lisa is also collecting items for the Coffee 4 Craig appeal – a project collecting clothing, basic food essentials, and simple eating utensils, for homeless people.

Anyone who would like to donate items to that appeal or has any items of fabrics which the cafe can use for its various clubs, can also recycle them at the 239 Holton Road premises.

For details, call 01446 730116.