Freelance writer Jerome Monahan wrote this article about their time here:

“I have to admit, I wasn’t too sure if I’d enjoy work experience in a café,” admits Gbemi. But there are cafés, and then there is the Café of Good Hope on Hither Green Lane, Lewisham — set up as a community hub by The Jimmy Mizen Foundation and run by an extremely youthful staff including today’s supervisor, Sam Watkins, who is just 24.

“Now I would recommend it to anyone,” says Gbemi. “It has been such fun.” Her schoolmate Beza adds: “As well as learning lots — I’ve made every kind of coffee — you have a real chance to improve your ‘people skills’ and test your ability to cope with stress when there’s a sudden rush and the queue starts to build up. I’d like to get a weekend job here if can.”

According to Sam, the girls have got what it takes to do well in a café environment: “I‘ve had two shifts with them and they have really taken to everything. They’ve picked up new skills quickly and understand that being patient and not rushing is the best way to prepare things. And when they’ve not been sure they have asked for help.”

Gbemi recalls one incident that tested her early on: “One customer really did not like the cup of tea I made and asked for me to re-do it five times.” Next she tells me about her success making her first strawberry cupcake. It’s on display so Gbemi can pose with it proudly outside the cafe. “I decorated it myself,” she says. “It looks good now, but what you can’t see are the rejects — luckily when icing goes wrong you can scrape it off and start again.”