Recently, This is Haslemere spent an hour with the wonderful Laura and Noah at the Cookie Bar in Hindhead. I am rather embarrassed to confess that this was the first time I had sampled the delicious delectables in the Cookie Bar for myself (the other half of This is Haslemere is already a loyal customer I should add)! But it is definitely going to be one of my regular haunts in the future. I had (wrongly) assumed the Cookie Bar just sold cookies. But far from it. They have a delicious lunch menu, with freshly made soups and sandwiches as well as a great selection of hot and cold drinks and the most fabulous cakes. It's a great place to enjoy a cuppa or lunch with friends, or to enjoy some remote working in a welcoming and inviting environment.

But the Cookie Bar is so much more than just a cafe. It was founded by Larry Sullivan who also founded Stepping Stones which is now Undershaw Education. The latter is a specialist school in Surrey for children and young people with mild to moderate Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Larry also founded Pathways, a trauma informed school set in an idyllic location in Churt, working with 14 children aged 9-16. Like Undershaw, it also helps children who have fallen out of mainstream education and who have additional needs. These are specialist schools that are funded through the Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). Laura has worked at Pathways for a number of years and speaks of it in glowing terms. 'I wish I could have gone to a school like that,' she told us.

The initial premise was that the Cookie Bar would provide a venue for the children attending these schools to gain valuable work experience. And today, it certainly lives up to its aims. It clearly gives the students working here an opportunity to experience all aspects of running a business and helps them in their longer term journeys to secure jobs elsewhere in the community. And national statistics couldn't be clearer in showing the need for initiatives like this. Recent data showed that only 4% of neurodivergent adults secure employment after leaving school or college. A shocking statistic given how much they have to contribute.

The Cookie Bar is just one part of a much bigger story though. This story falls into 3 parts. 

The first is Pathways Education which is where Pathways and Undershaw schools fit in. The second is Pathways Together which is a parent and carer support service run by Adam, an EHCP specialist. He helps those caring for young people with special needs to access the help they often so desparately need. The third pillar is Future Pathways. This pillar is aimed at providing alternative provision for children falling out of mainstream education. Laura summed it up by describing mainstream education as sadly being 'suffocating' for too many students, with the system all too often, 'trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.' She went on to add, 'We used to talk about shaking up the education system. We're now talking about breaking it.' And she means this in a positive way. Children who aren't managing to cope in mainstream schools for whatever reason will be able to come to the Cookie Bar one or two days a week. Here, they will have the opportunity to continue their education in a different way by gaining valuable work experience. 

The team at the Cookie Bar recognise that learning doesn't just have to happen in the classroom. Instead, at the Cookie Bar, lessons are taught 'on the job'. Students will gain practical entrepreneurial skills, they'll be given full barista training and they can complete their hygiene certificates. Not only that, above the Cookie Bar is an incredible space where students can learn other valuable skills. We particularly loved the tech room where professional photography equipment allows students to unleash their creativity. And, next to the cafe is a bike repair shop. Again, students have the oppportunity to learn useful, practical skills here that they can help them secure employment in the years ahead.

The future of the Cookie Bar is definitely exciting. Laura explained how she sees the business fitting within each of the 3 pillars above - Pathways Education, Pathways Together and Future Pathways. For a start, it's a place that students at Pathways and Undershaw can come to enjoy an education outside the traditional classroom. Secondly, it's somewhere for parents, carers and EHCP specialists to come together for support and to enjoy events like the upcoming talk and discussion on the correlation between nutrition and neurodivergence. And last but not least, it is a way to keep children falling out of mainstream education and to get them engaged in learning in a new and innovative way. 

Students coming to the Cookie Bar aren't just downstairs behind the till. They're upstairs engaging in a project based curriculum. Take one example. The team are currently putting the finishing touches to an environmental themed project. This will involve the students analysing how environmental changes can impact the cafe, whether these changes would improve the cafe, what B Corp certification involves and to see how the Cookie Bar could qualify and secure this status. All tasks with genuine purpose and all building practical and useful skills that can be re-applied in other workplaces the students may enter in the future. And crucially, they are building self confidence and belief in the students too. A belief that they can enter the world of employment when leaving school or college.

Future Pathways are looking to expand these provisions across the UK. This is George's department. George has previously worked with large companies such as the Merlin Group and Amazon, implementing supported internships in which young people enrol on an in-house education programme with the opportunity to gain employment in the business or out in the community. And Future Pathways are already developing plans to create more aspirational alternative provision sites with presumption of employment for every learner as the core message. 

The Cookie Bar is the first alternative provision provider within the group. But this proven model will soon be just one of a number of options locally. Larry Sullivan has already purchased two farms in the local area, one of which will geared towards learning useful construction and engineering skills. The second will provide the oppportunity for students to learn agricultural and environmental skills. They have already planted an orchard of over 300 trees and are busy planning a kitchen garden. The long term plan is to be able to successfully grow enough food to give to local schools and organisations and to feed up to 200 families. Not only that, they're also looking at the possibility of setting up a barbers, hairdressing salon or beauty business to widen the scope of what they offer.

Longer term, they hope to make their impact felt further afield. They're already eyeing up other locations including sites on the Isle of Wight and in Cumbria, allowing them to make a difference for children throughout the country. 

Back in Haslemere, Laura is also keen to increase the links between the Cookie Bar and the local community. She shared with us the plans she has to run workshops at the venue along with a number of well-being events that are in the pipeline. However, on that note, she definitely needs more hands on deck to help. The Cookie Bar welcomes volunteers and Laura would love to hear from you if you have some time you could give. Volunteer roles are hugely varied so do get in touch to find out more and to see if you could help.

It's a truly inspiring vision and one which I have no doubt they will achieve. Laura told us, 'I am proud to be a part of this and feel so lucky to work for such a great organisation.' We can see why. We have had the privilege of meeting some of the team at Undershaw in the past and the team at Pathways is equally passionate and committed to helping those that need that extra helping hand to get where they deserve to be in life. 

And there is no better testament to the results that they are aleady delivering than in the man behind the counter today - Noah. Noah is a former Undershaw student who is now a paid employee at the Cookie Bar. He is certainly a star employee. I can't remember the last time I received such a warm welcome and he shows an incredible amount of initiative. He recently came up with the idea of a Dungeons and Dragons evening in the cafe which was a roaring success and is sure to be repeated. Noah is a charming, intelligent and articulate young man and we're confident he will bring a smile to anyone's face if you're having a bad day!

This is a truly inspirational business in the heart of our community. But, it's clear that I wasn't the only one who was yet to discover it despite living here for over a decade. The business does currently run at a loss and they do need more customers to come in and show their support. If you haven't already discovered this true gem of a business for yourself, we can't encourage you enough to pop in.

And please, don't let the parking situation put you off. Apparently, parking at weekends is easier if you fancy trying it for the first time then. But there are plenty of parking spaces nearby too. Walk along to Tower Road and you should be able to find a space, or head to the Punchbowl car park. 

The cafe is open Mondays to Fridays from 8.30 until 4.00. Saturday opening hours are slightly shorter when it closes at 3 pm. At the moment, it's closed on Sundays but watch this space - they hope to open 7 days a week in the near future, serving up delicious breakfasts at the weekend.

Huge thanks to both Laura and Noah for their time. It was a real pleasure to meet them both and to find out more about the great work that the Cookie Bar and the larger organisation behind it does. We're looking forward to our next cuppa there very soon..... oh, and the cookies are delicious!!