30/07/2026
Sunday's Coffee Club left me with a lot to think about.
Professor Jonathan Morris joined us for a morning exploring coffee's journey from the forests of Ethiopia to the espresso bars of Italy.
We tasted coffee. We looked at photographs from his recent trip to Ethiopia. We talked about colonialism, trade, culture, and the people behind what ends up in our cups.
But what stayed with me most wasn't the history itself.
It was what happened around the table.
Questions sparked more questions.
People shared their own experiences.
A roaster travelled from Portsmouth to join us and spoke about how deeply moved he'd been by one of Jonathan's podcast episodes exploring the hidden human stories behind coffee.
Others brought their own perspectives and curiosities.
The conversation kept growing.
Long after the session had officially ended, people were still sitting together talking.
Looking through my phone afterwards, I realised I'd hardly taken any photographs.
Not because there wasn't anything worth capturing.
Because I was too busy listening.
Several people told me afterwards that they felt the Coffee Club was becoming something special.
I'll admit, hearing that touched me.
What I've been hoping to create here isn't simply a series of talks about coffee.
It's a place where people can come together, share ideas, learn something new, and leave feeling a little more connected than when they arrived.
Sunday felt like one of those mornings.
Thank you, Jonathan.
And thank you to everyone who came, listened, questioned, contributed, and stayed a little longer.
Big love to New House Art Space & Gallery and Frida’s Coffee House for giving us the perfect space to do this.
I'm very grateful we're building this together. ☕️
surrey
