Abda coffee shop overwhelmed after appeal reaches £10k

A phenomenal £10,000 has been donated in just one week to help Abda speciality coffee shop in Crown Street recover and start the colossal challenge to repair the damage.

The business needs a complete refit after all the stock and furniture ended up under two feet of water.

Owner Abda Obeid-Findley, 28, said: "Thank you doesn't seem enough, it is absolutely overwhelming. I cannot believe the amount of money that has been donated.

"For people to contribute their own money is incredible. To know that the community loves the shop as much as we do is heartwarming.

Owner Abda Obeid-Findley is overwhelmed by support from the community to help rebuild her speciality coffee shop

"It has given us a massive boost especially at a time of such uncertainty. This is helping us to refocus and push forward."

The cafe is also home to two other businesses - New Moon Art Gallery, run by Zoe Briers, which supports local artists and Henry Eko Living offers a selection of eco-friendly products including soaps and deodorants.

Originally from Sudan, linguist Abda studied Spanish and Italian at Royal Holloway where she met her husband Benjamin. The couple have a two-year-old daughter Layla.

In 2014, the linguist set up a home bakery making Arabic pastries and desserts.

From here the idea of opening a cafe grew and Abda opened in May 2018.

Staff opened a GoFundMe page hours after Storm Christoph struck.

Abda staff opened a GoFundMe page to help the coffee shop to recover from the flood

"The task ahead of us is ginormous," said Abda. "It is early days. We are waiting for it all to dry out. It has been an exhausting week.

"The biggest way we can say thank you is to reopen, once we are allowed to with Covid.

"Reopening and having Abda back is our main aim."

To donate visit gofund.me/9194237a