One of the core beliefs that we have at Moneyrow Beans is that great things happen when people are connected through coffee. This can happen in a number of ways within communities throughout the coffee chain from sustainable coffee-growing origins to coffee roasting and coffee-loving consumers. We are also super excited to share more details of the Maidenhead Coffee Festival 2025 which has this sentiment at its core.
Sustainable communities that grow coffee
The start of the coffee journey is when the local communities grow the coffee bean. It is important to us that in these communities they are not only paid a fair wage, but that the bean is grown in a sustainable way.
Gorilla Conservation Coffee is a great example of this and supports many people in their communities. They do this by paying a fair price to farmers at source, training them in sustainable farming methods and interplanting with other food crops, ensuring a generation of a sustainable food source. Most coffee growing regions have only one or two harvests a year, so it is important to get the balance right.
Bringing local communicites together
We see that wherever there is coffee, people come together, conversations will take place and relationships can be built. So whether that is in local offices, cafes, airports, colleges or at your kitchen table, coffee has a way of uniting people, bringing laughter and if needed help to solve problems. This can help to change lives.
Coffee spaces not only help to bring people together but in a post-COVID world can also help to support our wellbeing. As more people work from home and may feel disconnected from their colleagues, the bustling vibe of a coffee shop can help to combat loneliness and lift people. Sometimes a simple conversation with a friendly barista can be the difference in making someone’s day better. Coffee shops can also have a positive economic impact on our local areas, employing lots of people.
The Maidenhead Coffee Festival
Building on the theme of connecting people together through coffee, in 2023 I set up the first Maidenhead Coffee Festival (MCF). This was building on my experiences from the Middle East, where I saw the huge power these festivals had by celebrating our wonderful local baristas, coffee shops and businesses. The objective was very much around building relationships, strengthening our community and creating happy coffee moments!
The first MCF was in 2023 at Norden Farm and the aim was to bring our coffee lovers together into one space, celebrate coffee and connect. Maidenhead showed it’s love of coffee to be strong and the community was brought together for the first time!
The second MCF was in 2024 and we moved it into the heart of Maidenhead with the aim of engaging local businesses and bringing our Desborough Theatre back to life (it had been closed and used as a COVID vaccination center and used as a storage space). Evolving the event slightly, we also held the first Maidenhead Coffee Shop Awards and a Berkshire Barista Championship. The Desborough Theatre is now regularly used as a community space and for exercise classes by Leisure Focus. We are really proud of the part we played in making this possible.
This year I am delighted that the Maidenhead Coffee Festival will be returning for a third year at the Desborough Theatre. The focus of this year’s coffee festival will highlight the positive impact coffee has in our community. As well as great coffee, workshops, tastings and lots of coffee businesses, we will also have two charities represented:
- Andy’s Man Club: is ‘A men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help through the power of conversation. Local volunteers will be raising awareness of this amazing mental health charity. Click HERE to find out more.
- Canvas for Change: Unlocking the potential of cafe + community spaces for good. Humans are amazing, they just need space to be so. Ruth Rogers will be having meaningful coffee conversations on her sofa. Click HERE to discover more.
So, what else is happening at the Maidenhead Coffee Festival?
There is lots going on at the festival this year. We have invited lots of local community groups and people who make a positive difference in our local environment to be part of the festival. Here is a little more about what’s brewing:
- RBWM Coffee Shop Awards: Celebrating the best in Maidenhead, Windsor, Eton and Ascot. Click HERE to vote for your favorite Windsor and Eton coffee shop, HERE for Ascot and HERE for Maidenhead.
- Cup Tasters Competition: sip, guess and test your coffee-tasting skills (open to all).
- Coffee Theatre: Enjoy live demos, inspiring talks and coffee stories.
- Meet you favourite local coffee roasters and suppliers (Moneyrow Beans will be there!).
- The Brew Bar: sample exciting new coffees.
- Workshops and experiences to increase your coffee knowledge with expert led sessions.
- Coffee Bar: grab a coffee and lots of other tasty treats, have a chat and geek out with fellow coffee lovers.
Let’s see what good things happen when we meet over coffee this time!
To join us on Sunday 05 October click HERE to book you ticket!