A man has followed his dream of opening a café, after being inspired by his late sister.
Terry Childlow from Fazakerley sadly lost his sister Jane Cassin back in 2021. Jane, an Altcourse Prison officer, died due to complications with sepsis, when she was aged only 47. She changed career from a florist to devote herself to helping others, with prisoners even writing her a book of condolences. Her brother, it seems, is following in her footsteps by supporting his community in another way - and in her name.
Having worked in catering around the world, Terry now runs his own café, 1974, something that his late sister had always tried to convince him to do. He told the ECHO: "I was always working for other people and making others money. Jane would often urge me to become independent and use my skills to start my own business.
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"Her words stuck with me and drove me to reach new heights. I went to Hugh Baird and received a catering and hospitality qualification. Now I've got my own place. If Jane was still around I know she'd be so proud, she would have loved it."
Dedicated to his sister, the 35 year old's new café, in Fazakerley - named after the year Jane was born, projects a 70s theme with décor and memorabilia offering a nostalgic experience to guests.
Terry has been known as a pillar of his community for years now, managing a children's care home and frequently speaking up for his local area. He currently has four 16-18 year olds working for him at the café - all of whom had struggled to find work previously, offering them a career path and genuine options for making money.
He said: "I spoke to one lad who'd had issues looking for a job. He'd been rejected from multiple places, and that's if they even got back to him at all.
"We were talking about cooking and he seemed to know his stuff, using language that indicates a knowledge of food. I decided to take him on because who am I to deprive someone of an opportunity if they want it? Everyone starts somewhere."
1974 holds mental health workshops every week, hosted by local resident, Chris Jervis, who's been brought up around drug and alcohol use his entire life and struggled with his own mental health. He went on to study so that he could help others who are suffering. He now runs an initiative called Primal Mentality, which is dedicated to delivering 'a holistic approach to physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.'
Chris said: "1974 isn't just a cafe, it's a safe space for people to come and have a sense of belonging. I have a deep connection to Fazakerley and love having people here for meetings. It's a relaxed and calming environment, leaving people much happier and putting a positive impact on their day."
With all of his chefs being educated at catering college, Terry has said you could even call 1974 a 'bistro at times, due to the food'. They also serve a roast dinner every Sunday.
Speaking of his sister Jane, Terry said: "She was the eldest of six children but she was like the glue of the family. She was like all of our second mum when we were growing up.
"She was very caring and very maternal, she adored all her nephews and nieces. She gave us all our advice growing up and she's helped all of us, she was one in a million and you'll never get another as caring as her."
For more information on 1974 café, visit their Facebook here.
For Prime Mentality's Facebook page, click here.
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