17 Jun 2025, 10:54Lorraine Questel
First Fruits Café Offers Health, Hope, and Hospitality in Manchester
On October 14th 2024, the First Fruits Café opened its doors in Fallowfield, Manchester, an initiative by the Community Services Department of Manchester South Seventh-day Adventist Church. This unique outreach operates fortnightly as a plant-based café with an integrated health screening service.
Located in a socio-economically diverse area with a significant student population, the café provides free health screenings—checking blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, height, and weight. Following the screenings, guests are served a complimentary three-course, plant-based meal in the church foyer, offered by a team of friendly waitstaff. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as, “This is a fantastic idea,” and “The meals have been really excellent.”
Each guest receives health literature, and voluntary donations—ranging from £5 to £50—support the initiative. Guided by God’s hand, this project seeks to share love through the health message and present-day truth, including the Three Angels’ Messages.
One such story of impact is Mark, a local resident who was drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere. His regular attendance at the café soon led to meaningful friendships and spiritual interest. Encouraged by the warmth and respect he experienced, Mark began attending church services. After engaging in Bible studies with local head elder Paul Elleston, Mark made the life-changing decision to be baptised on March 22, 2025, alongside seven others. He now serves as an active church member and is affectionately regarded as the "first fruit" of the programme.
On October 14th 2024, the First Fruits Café opened its doors in Fallowfield, Manchester, an initiative by the Community Services Department of Manchester South Seventh-day Adventist Church. This unique outreach operates fortnightly as a plant-based café with an integrated health screening service.
Located in a socio-economically diverse area with a significant student population, the café provides free health screenings—checking blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, height, and weight. Following the screenings, guests are served a complimentary three-course, plant-based meal in the church foyer, offered by a team of friendly waitstaff. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as, “This is a fantastic idea,” and “The meals have been really excellent.”
Each guest receives health literature, and voluntary donations—ranging from £5 to £50—support the initiative. Guided by God’s hand, this project seeks to share love through the health message and present-day truth, including the Three Angels’ Messages.
One such story of impact is Mark, a local resident who was drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere. His regular attendance at the café soon led to meaningful friendships and spiritual interest. Encouraged by the warmth and respect he experienced, Mark began attending church services. After engaging in Bible studies with local head elder Paul Elleston, Mark made the life-changing decision to be baptised on March 22, 2025, alongside seven others. He now serves as an active church member and is affectionately regarded as the "first fruit" of the programme.
