Café Karuna Brings Neighbours Together Over Shared Meals in Portsmouth
A new pilot project launching in Portsmouth, UK, is tackling one of the most overlooked forms of suffering: loneliness. Café Karuna will invite up to 20 guests each month to a three-hour gathering at St James' Milton church hall, where they will prepare, cook and share a meal together in a warm, welcoming setting. The project has chosen to focus on the eastern side of Portsmouth, an area organisers believe has the greatest need for this kind of connection.
Led by Heather Hall and a small team of committed volunteers, Café Karuna is built on a simple idea: that cooking and eating together can open the door to conversation, friendship and a genuine sense of belonging. Rather than offering a one-off meal, the project aims to create lasting community ties — a regular space where isolated neighbours can become familiar faces, and familiar faces can become friends.
The initiative reflects the values at the heart of Charter for Compassion's Trauma-informed, Loving Community (TLC) philosophy, treating loneliness not as a private misfortune but as a community responsibility to be met with warmth, welcome and shared tables. With the venue secured and volunteers in place, Café Karuna is set to begin welcoming its first guests in August.
Contact Café Karuna to learn more or get involved.
