This article was written for the Spire magazine (Free community magazine edited by St Mary's Church, Garforth) in Jan 2011...

“if money were no object and you could do anything with your time what would it be?” This kind of question takes you into the early hours chatting and dreaming with close friends or a spouse.  We dared to ask this question with a view to see something change.  For us the answer was something around people, community, trying to be creative with business, taking a risk and trusting God with our steps. Someone once said faith is spelt r.i.s.k.

I started Baraka with my wife Linda after a period of knowing that I couldn’t feel fulfilled just going from one job to another getting by, paying a mortgage and building a cosy life in my little castle. Earning a living is a must, but with faith in the mix, maybe we're not stuck slogging it day by day without enjoying it? We had a desire to make a difference, to do our bit and not just sit moaning about things. Of course in reality, we need money! So there are risks – taking on a 3 year expensive lease in the centre of Main Street, re-mortgaging our home to start the business, and not really knowing what we were doing! But we decided we'd rather lose it all trying, and once thinking through the 'what's the worst that could happen' decided we'd go for it.

So Baraka was born. It's a coffee house, but hopefully, with a difference. Our main goal is surprisingly not great coffee (although that is a great perk!),  but to try help community thrive amongst those living in Garforth and the surrounding areas. There is so much going on locally and we wanted to add something different alongside all that is great in our community. In a growing 'virtual world' and online socialising, we wanted to provide somewhere informal with nice coffee for people to chat and share life, without having to venture in to Leeds. We want to find a way of helping community continue to develop alongside our developing culture. Coffee seems to be a universal language!

This past Christmas has been a real treat for us. Now we've been going for two and a half years, we know so many customers as friends, and the homely feel keeps growing. Baraka carols was a great get together for regulars and new faces, seeing nearly two hundred out the front of the shop. Christmas day too saw nearly eighty people pop in for coffee and start their Christmas day with friends. The current Alpha course is drawing to a close, and both Alphas have been well attended. We hope Baraka provides somewhere relaxed and non pressured for people journey life together including all of life’s questions.

We know we are small and just a puzzle piece in Garforth. That is all we want, to be a useful part of our town, to make friends and be involved. Thank you to all of you who pop in and hang out with us, and we look forward to seeing everyone who walks through the doors in 2011, Happy New Year!

Nick Castle