Arcadia Bed & Breakfast is a social enterprise venture. In practice this means employing staff that would not normally get work, paying them a living wage. Youth on the margins or Idea Services clients are the types of young people we’d be looking to employ. It’s about creating work and training opportunities for young people in need of a hand up.

The other side of the social enterprise is that it’s financially sustainable. Money is made through the running of the business, meaning little need to rely for funding and grants. Our hope it that Arcadia Bed & Breakfast becomes cost neutral. The future dream is that the business returns a profit that would be distributed to other innovative mission initiatives.

It will also incorporate our charity and creativity values, being made available at cost or even free to groups Incedo wants to serve. Groups that would not normally get the opportunity from Jesus followers.  In practice this might mean giving the Women’s Refuge, Migrant Services or Rainbow Youth a free staff weekend away. Incedo people would host and serve those staying, providing meals and a special hospitable experience.

But wait there’s more! We’ve only mentioned the Bed & Breakfast. There’s also a long term accommodation wing. This is a separate space for people needing accommodation for a week, month or year. They can arrive with the clothes on their back and everything except food is provided. This will be a safe space for residents, some of whom are in transition, or for whatever reason are fragile and in need of a homely, supportive environment for a short or long time.

A website, online booking system, 0800 number and plenty more is in development. Stay tuned!

1. What is one thing you love that takes your my time regularly?
I love cooking and I really enjoy writing. I think there is something beautiful in the cutting, scribbling, preparing that is relaxing and naturally creative.

2. If you could throw caution in the wind you would?
I’d spend time decorating a place, starting a bed and breakfast, and having as a place people could come and truly relax. I’d also hop on a plane and travel the world, spending time experiencing different cultures, foods, and ways of life (South America, Bhutan, Egypt & the Middle East are on my list).

3. Your ultimate dinner guest would be?
At the moment it would be Jamie Oliver, I’d love to have him come over and talk about hosting people, eating good food, and how to encourage others to find freedom playing in the kitchen. I would also love to hear his thoughts on how to reconnect the next generation with natural foods and growing it themselves.

4. Something that would surprise us about you?
I learnt the piano for 6 years and the flute for 7 years, I also sang solos at Christmas eve services accompanied by my Dad (on the organ).

5. Do you have abs? (prove it!!!)
Yes, everyone has abs…lol. I can hold a plank for over 90 seconds.

6. What is your top Jesus verse/story/quote?
Um… right now, I’m tossing up two: Jesus chatting to the Woman at the well (this casual conversation that shows compassion, stepping across social norms yet there is grace in the story) and the other is when the women who has been bleeding for Reyes is healed by touching Jesus’s robe (it has this strength in it, that you sometimes see in older people, as she just does it, even though she was pretty much making all the men in the crowd including Jesus unclean. Yet, Jesus, in his grace recognises her.)