Level Best Enterprises has been named a Compassionate Community Champion. The recognition celebrates not only its extraordinary support for young adults with learning disabilities, but also its remarkable contribution to the wider Colchester community.
For more than fifteen years, Level Best has provided a safe and inspiring space. It supports their trainees, young adults with learning disabilities, to develop confidence, life skills and gain meaningful work experience. At a time when many young people with disabilities face isolation, limited opportunities to work and barriers to independence, Level Best offers something transformative: a place where they are welcomed, valued and empowered.
Trainees take part in every aspect of the organisation’s work. In the city centre café, they help prepare and serve delicious, affordable meals and make a variety of seasonal goods with produce grown on the Level Best allotment. Others gain skills by creating items for sale, supporting regular art exhibitions in the gallery, or working alongside Colchester’s Park Rangers in Castle Park and other green spaces. These opportunities build practical skills and real pathways into employment, but just as importantly, they nurture friendships, confidence and community connection.
Since the opening of its new café in 2023, Level Best has become a much-loved destination in Colchester. Regulars return not only for the food, but for the warmth and welcome that define the space.
Alison Ling, Manager, Level Best enterprises, explains: “People who arrive alone often find themselves chatting with trainees and come back week after week. They become part of our growing community, which stops people from feeling lonely. The café also hosts groups including dementia support visitors and Essex Sight coffee mornings. We offer a place where everyone feels comfortable, supported and included.
“Level Best’s impact over the past year has been exceptional. Over 90 trainees have been supported through more than 8,700 training sessions. The organisation has introduced new placements, launched new partnerships and expanded activities, which have received regional and national recognition. Visitors consistently praise the café for its atmosphere, a place where families, children and adults all feel accepted.”
What sets Level Best apart is how seamlessly inclusivity is woven into every aspect of its work. Visual aids in the café support accessibility. Collaborations with local charities, schools, creative groups and businesses broaden opportunities for trainees and strengthen connections across Colchester. And through exhibitions, events and seasonal markets, trainees proudly share their achievements with the public, helping to shift perceptions about disability.
To discover more and to nominate a person, event or organisation for a Compassionate Champion Award, visit Compassionate Communities | St Helena Hospice.
