Sunderland seafront cafe helps keep its customers full of beans

Fausto, in Marine Walk, Roker, is already the meeting point for running, bathing, exercise and cycling groups, as well as the host of yoga, Spanish and knitting sessions.

Now it is putting together a constitution to recognise the clubs through the Fausto Coffee Sports and Social Club.

Those who join the classes or informal groups will be invited to pledge around £20 a year, with the funds to pay for equipment they and newcomers can use, as well as trips and coaching.

The move, steered by a team of helpers, means bids could be made for funding, with an outdoor gym, table tennis table, lockers and changing cubicles among the ideas proposed.

The cafe - named in honour of the champion Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi - is run by Louise Riddell, 43, who set it up in St George’s Terrace in April 2013 before moved to the former promenade bike shed in May last year.

“The foundation of the cafe is based around cycling and it was always going to have a cycling element to it, but what we wanted to do is to reach out to people who would not necessarily want to join in a racing club or a cycling club, which they might find intimidating,” she said.

“This was for people who wanted to get out and ride a bike, and then with the bathers, my friend Nick said this would be an ideal place for a bathing club, so we did it.

“To start of with it was just me and him and then as soon as we did a big push we had 30 people in its first week, including my own children, and two are still very much active members.”

As well as helping people better their physical health, the groups and classes are also credited with improving mental health.

Louise added: “The overwhelming opinion of all the clubs is their friendliness and how welcoming they are.

“This is about getting people active, helping people feel better, and it’s more about those marginal gains.

“None of this is proposed as a project to make money, it’s been at the suggestion of the committee, and yes, I’m a business, I might make few quid from it in coffee and cake, but there’s so much more people will gain from this.

“I want each of these groups to grow in their own right, but I can’t do that alone and they don’t want me to hold their hands, it’s something they can do themselves.”

With the support of the groups, Louise, who is mum to Quinn, 12, Erin, 10, Fran, eight, and Beatrix, seven, is helping to organise the Fausto Regatta and Trialthon on Saturday, September 1.

It will feature a chance to experience joining in the British Triathlon’s Go Tri programme as well as sailing, thanks to the help of Sunderland Yacht Club.

The bathing club’s first birthday will be marked with a social evening on Saturday, September 8, with a call to gather together 100 swimmers for a 10am dip on the following day.

More details about the clubs and events are available via the cafe’s Facebook page.