The Ground Up Project launch new community café at The Proud Place, Manchester, Through New Partnership

United by a shared commitment to creating spaces where diverse abilities and identities are recognised as strengths, The Ground Up Project and The Proud Trust welcomed their first visitors at a new cafe with a community soft launch at The Proud Place in Manchester.

The event marks an important moment for The Ground Up Project, a community interest company created by Petty Pool, the Cheshire charity that has supported young people and adults with learning disabilities for nearly 50 years. Ground Up’s work goes far beyond serving coffee – and every drink helps create real training and employment opportunities for neurodivergent young people, giving them practical experience and confidence as they move towards future careers.

The Manchester café has been opened in partnership with The Proud Trust, one of the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ youth charities. For almost five decades, The Proud Trust has supported LGBTQ+ young people through youth work, advocacy, wellbeing services and safe spaces where they can be themselves. As custodians of The Proud Place -  one of only five LGBTQ+ centres in Europe - the charity supports 12 grassroots organisations and welcomed nearly 10,000 visitors last year.

By partnering within The Proud Place, Ground Up strengthens the building’s offer and keeps the doors open more regularly. The café provides a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for the whole community, whether meeting friends, working remotely, attending events or simply looking for somewhere to feel at home. Visitors can expect excellent coffee, fresh food and a space built around community, opportunity and belonging.

During the soft launch, members of The Proud Place community sampled the menu, met the team and explored the new café. Their feedback is helping shape the final preparations ahead of the public opening in September.

Ground Up at The Proud Place is The Ground Up Project’s second café, following the success of their first café - Ground Up at Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port - opened in 2024. By combining exceptional customer service with meaningful employment opportunities, Ground Up is helping young people build brighter futures while creating welcoming spaces at the heart of their communities.  

Sally Garratt, Director at The Ground Up Project and CEO of The Petty Pool Trust, said:

“Seeing people filling the café, chatting over coffee and immediately making themselves at home was exactly what we hoped for. Ground Up has never just been about serving great coffee. It’s about creating opportunities, building confidence and creating a genuine sense of belonging. We’re incredibly grateful to The Proud Trust for sharing our vision and helping us create something really special for Manchester.”

Liam Swanston, Director of Development and Partnerships at The Proud Trust, said:

“We’re really excited to be working alongside The Ground Up Project — there’s a real synergy between our missions and values. The community has been telling us they want The Proud Place open more often and how much they missed having a café in the building. We heard them, and this partnership is the first step in ensuring The Proud Place is a true hub for the whole LGBTQ+ community, because the young people and community we serve, deserve better.”

Ground Up at The Proud Place will officially open to the public in September, with further details to follow.

Ground Up at the Proud Trust will officially open in September 2026. Follow along for updates!