Kadampa Meditation Centre Manchester - Chorlton

Awful and culty. In a supposed meditation class we were subjected to repetitive ramblings, which included calling scientists "the enemy at the gate" and using made-up statistics to renounce and scoff at people who take anti-depressants. The so-called courses they run are just glorified tupperware sales-people reading from a single book, spouting trite metaphors and joking "we won't try to convert you"... That's exactly what a cult member would say 😬

I started meditation classes a few years ago and I volunteer in the cafe. Everyone is friendly and makes you feel at ease. The food is good, homemade soups and cakes, sandwiches made with Barbikan bread.

This is the long term home of the Kadampa budhists in Manchester. I go there to meditate with the support of their budhists monks and nun. They also have many volunteers. Food at the World Peace cafe is excellent.

The World Peace Café is a beautiful oasis of calm and cakes in the busy suburb of Chorlton. It's light and airy and full of sunshine on clear days, thanks to large windows to the front and rear of the venue. The food offered is vegetarian and vegan, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's not tasty. The salads, soups and dhals are amazing and the cakes are extraordinarily good. There's a wide selection of of teas and coffees on offer to accompany your nibbles, and plenty of options for children, as well as high chairs for the little ones. Customer service is excellent, as you might imagine in a café staffed by gentle Buddhists, and the overall atmosphere is relaxed, warm and welcoming. In my opinion it's one of the most pleasant places I've been to, and is perfect for light bites in a chilled environment - a lovely way to press the pause button on fast-paced 21st century life.

The meditation centre is very welcoming with a friendly and peaceful atmosphere. There are many events, classes and workshops with very knowledgeable teachers catering for all levels or experience of meditation from first time to highest levels. Although obviously a Buddhist centre the emphasis is on meditation, I was made to feel welcome from the first time I stepped though the door.