New cafe now brewing in Brighton

There’s a new spot to get your caffeine hit locally, with Bean to Brew cafe recently opening at the Brighton Civic Centre in Bridgewater. The team behind the cafe are Sam and Heather - they ran the business out of a coffee van for many years but the new bricks-and-mortar cafe gives locals a spot to meet, connect and enjoy good food and coffee.

Bean to Brew also sponsors programs like Café Connections. The new cafe offers a range of lunch eats such as toasties, chowder, soups and curries. They also stock a range of cakes and sweet treats which are supplied fresh throughout the week from Jen’s Kitchen Kreations, a Rosetta-based catering business.

Bean to Brew is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm at 25 Green Point Rd, Bridgewater. For more information, check out www.facebook.com/beantobrewcafe.

It was with much sadness that Brighton Council said goodbye to Community Development Officer Brittany Szlezak in April this year due to her moving interstate. We have said our farewells to Brittany but her legacy in community development at Brighton Council and in our communities will live on for a very long time. In just 12 months Brittany built our reputation and capacity beyond what we could have ever hoped for in such a short time, and we will be forever grateful.

Brittany’s story was one of building relationships, trust and giving people a voice. She operated from a place that was always person-centred, trauma-informed and about making sure people were listened to and heard. To see this in action was to see Brittany’s work with the Brighton Youth Action Group (BYAG) and the creation of the Big Bangin Youth Night in Bridgewater - “Nothing about us without us”. Brit’s bravery and boldness with her ‘the worst they can do is say no’ attitude, helped our young people and the BYAG find a voice whilst having a really good time. We thank you Brittany for trusting your gut, joining the team at Brighton Council and bringing everyone on the journey with you.

We had a chat with Brittany and asked her to share a quick reflection on what the year was like for her in this newly created role.

Hi Brittany, so, leaving us so soon? Yeah, if you asked me two months ago if I thought I was moving interstate, the answer would have been ‘no’. I had great plans to make Brighton my forever home and place of work but life has other plans it seems.

What’s your biggest achievement since being with Council? Definitely starting the Brighton Youth Action Group, otherwise known as the BYAG. Even before I started, I knew community was screaming out for something to be done for young people in our community, so it has been really exciting to work with community to get this up and running. Engaging with the authenticity and energy of young people is one of my favourite things about community work, so I look forward to keeping an eye on how this group progresses.

What advice would you give to someone stepping into a community development role at Brighton Council? Be prepared to enjoy one of the most enriching jobs you will ever have and always remember aiming for the stars never hurt anyone so always be idealistic about what you want for community but remember things take time to change.