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Coffee shop hosts morning rave for mental health

Fiona Callow & Joanita MusisiYorkshire
News imageBBC/Richard Fox Two women pose outside a coffee shop, with their arm around each other and one hand in the air. The woman on the left has short curly brown hair and wears a mint green top and blue grilled sunglasses. The woman on the right is taller, with long blonde hair in a ponytail, and wears a black t-shirt and black jacket.BBC/Richard Fox
Coffee was served with a side order of rave music in Haxby this morning

A neigbourhood cafe has been serving morning coffees with a side order of dance music.

The Curious Coffee Company in Haxby, near York, hosts a "Coffee Rave" on the first Thursday of every month, in partnership with mental health walking group Rant & Ramble.

Participants arrived at 06:30 GMT for a walk around the local area, before ending at the cafe for a DJ set and a dance, organiser Leesa Collinge explained.

"We take life so seriously and I wanted to bring joy back to people - I was so nervous if people would dance without a drink, but everyone just loves it," she said.

Proceeds made from each rave are donated to St Leonard's Hospice, which cares for terminally ill people.

Brenda Campbell, 60, travelled down from the Scottish Borders to attend after "happening upon" a promotion on Facebook.

As a full-time carer to her husband, and a four-time stroke survivor herself, the event "is so worth" the nearly four-hour drive and overnight stay in York, she said.

News imageBBC/Richard Fox An older woman with short, curly brown hair smiles at the camera, standing outside a coffee shop. She wears a mustard yellow shirt with white stripes, and a black undershirt.BBC/Richard Fox
Brenda Campbell travelled down from the Scottish Borders to attend the event

"When I came last time and went back to the hotel for breakfast it was so sombre and quiet," she said.

"I was just high as a kite and wanted to tell everyone what I'd just done - I just love it, and hopefully they can bring it to Scotland as well."

Collinge set up Rant & Ramble in 2023 as a way to "clear her head", after her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, passing away from the disease nine months later.

The group now has more than 100 members who regularly meet for walks and wellness retreats.

As a lover of dance music, the morning coffee rave was another way for people to connect and let loose, Collinge added.

News imageBBC/Richard Fox A woman holds up an iced coffee outside a coffee shop. She wears a headscarf with a silver bow tied at the front, and a black top with the Calvin Klein logo repeated in a pattern across it. BBC/Richard Fox
Leesa Collinge from Rant & Ramble set the event up to

"I saw this in France - I was walking down a little street one morning and I saw all these people just dancing at 6am.

"I thought 'oh my god, I have to bring this to York' and here it is."

By 07:30 GMT, early morning revellers wind down, heading back home to get ready for work.

Attendee Rachel Speight-McGregor, 56, said she'd "already got her steps in for the morning" and called the event "a great way to start" the day.

"I'd do it every morning but once a month is fine," she said.

"Everyone comes together - it doesn't matter your age, it's just brilliant."

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