The café at Bristol NHS Foundation Trust’s Southmead Hospital is open to patients, visitors and staff to the centre, as well as the rest of the hospital, and offers teas, coffees, soft drinks, sandwiches and snacks.
Southmead Hospital League of Friends has been supporting the hospital since the 1970s and money raised through the café is invested back into funding equipment for the benefit of patients and staff.
The new Bristol Brain Centre Café is in addition to the coffee shop the supporters run in the Brunel building.
Both cafes are run by a team of volunteers.
Southmead Hospital services can apply for grants from the League of Friends to fund items to improve the experience of patients, carers and visitors.
In the last year Southmead Hospital League of Friends has funded projects including 30 chairs on wards for carers, a bladder scanner and trolley for the Acute Frailty Unit and a micro-needling machine to treat scarring in the Plastic Surgery Adult Burns Team.
They have also funded two arts activity trolleys which are taken to wards to support inpatients while they are staying in hospital and an Advanced Vein Puncture Pack to support staff training.
The café is open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday inside the Bristol Brain Centre.
Mike Long, Chair of Southmead Hospital League of Friends, said: “We are delighted to be offering visitors to Southmead Hospital a café within the Bristol Brain Centre so that they can enjoy refreshments without needing to make their way to the main hospital building.
“Our new café has been well-received by patients and staff and we are pleased to be able to offer this service to improve the experience of people visiting the hospital, while also helping us support the rest of the hospital through grants.”
Glyn Howells, Southmead Hospital Operating Unit Managing Director, said: “We value the support of Southmead Hospital League of Friends and their volunteers.
“It is fantastic to have this café in the Brain Centre for patients, visitors and colleagues and to see it supporting the experience of people who use our services. Thank you to the League of Friends.”