Abuse survivor café initiative latest under threat from rising costs

Thursday 22 August 2024

A local café which supports survivors of sexual abuse is appealing for funds after rising costs have caused concerns about its future – just one year after it opened.

Cheyenne O’Connor, founder and CEO of The Butterfly Café, said she was in talks with the Government about continued funding after the cost-of-living crisis had made it harder to rely on the public for donations.

Earlier this week on social media, she posted an "open appeal" to the "good citizens of Jersey" sharing the news that inflated costs meant the non-profit had been "hit hard in the pocket" and was "in need of urgent support".

A crowdfunding page has since been set up to save the café from closure, which has so far raised £270 – thousands short of its £9,000 target.

It comes in the same week that mental health charity Jersey Recovery College was forced to close "with immediate effect" due to rising costs compounded with a reduction in income and donations.

Other charity heads have previously warned that when third sector organisations fold, islanders risk their services getting picked up by the Government at a "significantly" higher cost to the taxpayer.

Led by Miss O'Connor, The Butterfly Café opened its doors to islanders last July with the help of a £155,000 Government grant.

It provides job opportunities and workplace training to islanders who have experienced abuse, as well as access to ongoing, survivor-led services, such as peer-support group meetings, training, a helpline, a job shop and advocacy assistance.

The popular Parade spot recently celebrated its first anniversary and has so far supported over 400 survivors of sexual and institutional abuse in Jersey.

Pictured: Miss O'Connor (right) opened the non-profit Butterfly Café last year with the help of an initial Government grant.

However, the unique kind of support that the initiative provides has caused challenges.

Speaking to Express, Miss O'Connor said: "The financial pressures are mainly due to the fact we run two businesses from the café. Its turnover has to cover rent, supplies, wages for the chef, café staff and support workers.

"We need more staff than any other café as we always need at least one support worker on site at all times."

But the challenges are not only unique to her work, Miss O'Connor said, adding: "We are a non-profit which is naturally harder for us to get funding, but with the cost of living, everyone is struggling, which makes it harder to rely on the public for donations."

In her social media appeal posted this week, Miss O'Connor said that while it had "by no means been plain sailing", she was proud of all the non-profit had accomplished.

She added: "However, with the inflated cost rises that we have all endured, this is now jeopardising everything we've built and all that we've achieved, we've been hit hard in the pocket and we now find ourselves in uncertain territory, and whether we can continue to operate and provide the support needed.

"The Butterfly Effect is in need of urgent support, be it from individuals and/or organisations, both public and private; we need a true community drive to help keep us operating and supporting those that rely on us for our services.

"And so, humbly, we are appealing to all those reading this: if you are able to support in any way at all, be it with a one-off donation or recurring support in aid of our advocacy and other support services, do please reach out to cheyenne@thebutterflyeffect.je."

Shelley Hollis, who set up the crowdfunding page, wrote: "As many of you will be aware, all the government authorities that currently deal with children or survivors of sexual abuse are absolutely pushed to their limits and the island is suffering.

"The Butterfly Café is vital for people in our island to access support, and just have somewhere to go that is relaxed and friendly."

DONATE...

You can donate to the fundraising page set up in aid of the Butterfly Café HERE.