One of Kent’s fastest-growing independent coffee cafe chains has been taking the county by storm, opening a host of new outlets.

But now HatHats is taking its barista and hospitality skills to Africa as part of a vocational project to support local communities.

Bosses of the chain, which has six branches and more in the pipeline, created a foundation to support the business’s charity work.

And one of their key projects is to raise £30,000 to install a coffee machine in East Africa’s first vocational college in Uganda where barista training and hospitality skills will be taught to help create jobs.

The project is also working to drill a bore hole to provide fresh, clean water.

HatHats, which has grown from a vintage coffee van to premises in Folkestone, Herne Bay, Reculver, Canterbury and Faversham, will be sending 11 volunteers, who are staff members, to Uganda next month to start the work with communities.

Company founder and entrepreneur Louis Hurst believes in “the power of coffee to connect people and create positive change” which is the philosophy on which the HatHats Foundation was born.

He says the mission is to give back to the communities it operates in as well as fostering sustainability within the coffee industry.

“Although coffee beans are grown in Uganda, the locals don’t drink a lot of it, but there is growing demand from visitors and tourism which could create employment,” he said.

“We believe that by providing clean water and empowering individuals with coffee-related skills, we can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives and our volunteers are excited to embark on this mission,” he says.

The team is hoping to raise £30,000 to fund all the equipment needed for the vocational college as well as provide a community education programme for the community where the borehole will be drilled.

But they are still some way short of their target and hope the business community in Kent will step up and help.

“We have already received some incredible support from our customers and stakeholders with lots of amazing companies offering us sponsorship,” said Louis.

“The likes of Hinxden Farm Dairy, Kingsley Green Recruitment, Consort Frozen Foods and Barista 999 have already donated to the project.

“But we were most struck with the £1,000 donation from Whitstable and Faversham-based barbers Waterman and Webb’ who organised a charity golf day at Chestfield Golf Club.”

HatHats has also been organising quiz nights at a number of their outlets and have a stand-up comedy night at the South Quay shed in Whitstable as well as a number of other sponsored events.

The HatsHats Foundation will also be supporting other community projects around its cafes in Kent in the future.

To find out more about the Uganda project and to make a donation, visit HatHats Foundation.com or follow @hathatsfoundation for updates on its projects and impact stories.