Coffee bar at Portchester Castle sets up suspended coffee scheme to spread a little joy

WHETHER you are counting pennies as you have hit hard times, or are short of cash just before pay day, or have simply forgotten your wallet, one independent coffee bar is offering an ingenious solution.
Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle. Staff members Katy Courtnell and Kacey Godden. Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle. Staff members Katy Courtnell and Kacey Godden.
Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle. Staff members Katy Courtnell and Kacey Godden.

Seahorse Coffee Bar, which operates out of a converted horse box in the grounds of Portchester Castle, has set up a board where people can pick up tokens to cash in for free goodies, as part of a pay it forward community scheme.

The idea is that customers buy an extra drink or snack with their order, that is then suspended so someone in need can redeem.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Owner Sam White said: ‘I’d seen a couple of American coffee shops doing it and then a few weeks ago saw a Facebook post promoting a café offering it too so I thought it would be lovely to try and pay it forward.

Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle
Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle

‘I’m conscious of how lucky my family and I are whilst also being aware that life is very different for some.

Read More
How you can bring joy to a lonely person in the Portsmouth area this Christmas

‘Anyone is welcome to redeem a token, they might have just come out without their wallet, they may want to treat their children, they may need a little lift that day but can’t justify the spend.

‘There are no questions, no judgement, no explanation needed.

Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle
Seahorse Coffee Bar at Portchester Castle
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘The board is on the back of our horsebox, it is very discreet, and only one person – the person who serves you – will see it being handed over. ’

The kindhearted business owner, who started the coffee bar last November, filled the board to start it off.

And she said she was delighted to see so many people making donations.

Sam, who lives in nearby Castle Street, with husband Lee, and son Callaghan, 11, said: ‘One person even contacted me to donate £20.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘I do hope that people redeem the tokens, Portchester Castle is a beautiful place to come for a walk hopefully these little acts of kindness by others will bring a little joy.’

Sam is now in discussions with Portchester Methodist Church and she hopes to be able to offer vouchers through the local food banks.

She said: ‘None of us is very far away from serious debt, we could all find ourselves in that situation. We have all counted pennies at one time in our lives. I hope that by doing this I can help in some small way.’

Sam’s business Seahorse Coffee Bar can be found on Facebook at facebook.co.uk/SeahorseCoffeeBar

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The News has launched the #supportlocal campaign to encourage shoppers and diners – and coffee drinkers – to choose local outlets where they can, whether in person or online if shops are closed in the lockdown. We are highlighting both the personal touch that independents offer, and also the fact that they add variety to high streets – as well as keeping money in the lcoal economy.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

The News is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.