The crew at Arofa Koha Cafe have been serving up delectable delights and brews now for one year.

The neurodivergent-inclusive cafe and training space celebrated its anniversary last week at its Burnett St site with the community and invited guests over coffee and cake.

Co-founder Celia Colcord said the cafe started with a ‘‘hiss and a roar‘‘ out of its former site at Flashbacks, before it moved to Base youth centre on Burnett St.

‘‘It’s just evolved, it’s just really exciting,’’ she said.

‘‘I never thought I would see it being such an important space for a lot of people.’’

It made the tough times worthwhile.

‘‘I just get positive feedback from families.’’

In the rear of the cafe, are additional seats and sensory activities as well as chess, games and activities.

‘‘People are starting to realise that we’re here, so that is really nice to see the old faces coming back.’’

Every visit gives the cafe crew hospitality experience.

They cook, serve and interact with their customers which grows their confidence.

‘‘The silver lining is our boys get to cook still,’’ Colcord said.

The cafe receives food twice a week from food rescue and created its menus from the delivery.

Offerings have included meringues, burgers, cinnamon scrolls, mini fried breads with pocket fillings and during winter, lots of soup.

‘‘We actually get to cook the lunches for Ka Awatea which is the alternative education programme that holds the contract here.’’

She said the cafe crew had grown to be great role models for rangatahi involved in the programme.

‘‘They see a lot of the things that are happening here that the boys role model, and they actually take on real positive (attitudes),’’ she said.

‘‘We had a group of seniors come in and our rangatahi - there was this crossover of generation - it was really cool. One of our rangatahi was playing with a 90-year-old.’’

It was a win-win for the youth and the seniors hanging out, she said.

The cafe had its regulars, but more groups were using the cafe as a meeting space.

Among them neurodivergent families from Vaka Tautua, a pacifika disability service out of Christchurch who were starting coffee mornings at the cafe.

Arofa had also added off-site catering to its portfolio.

But there were no plans to extend its opening hours. That would require funding.

It runs, via koha, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10am to 2pm.

‘‘It’s just whatever you can afford,’’ she said.

‘‘A lot of people are generous so it covers (others).

‘‘We like to keep to our special menu. Our favourite is a Taniwha burger, which is fried bread made into a burger and it’s really yum.

The popular burger is made with the cafe’s own sauce.

There are also cinnamon scrolls with special toppings and a piping hot cuppas on offer.

Most recently one of the crew had started a chess club which runs alongside the cafe.

Colcord and fellow co-founder Marie Maeva set up Takiwatanga Whakatere, a parent-led group who support neurodiverse children, youth and their families.

It is run by a board of trustees since forming in 2018. 

“We created Neuro Hub which is the practical arm for neurodiversity. The cafe came out of that,” Colcord said.

Other past activities have included a youth group, night market, community events, open mic night and a visit to Armageddon in Christchurch.

‘‘We support each other in the community, and we do things in the community.

‘‘Arofa Cafe is just one of those things that we do in the community.’’