A new cafe in North Belfast is creating 11 jobs and providing work experience opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism.
The jobs will be created by Orchardville in a new café at Grove Wellbeing Centre in partnership with GLL, which manages 14 leisure centres in Belfast.
Orchardville, a registered local charity and social enterprise committed to changing the lives of people with learning disability and autism, has been awarded the contract to run the new café at the leisure centre. The café, called ‘Orchard @ The Grove’, will start trading in early June 2019.
Joan McGinn, chief executive, Orchardville, explains what the contract means and how it will provide a channel for empowering individuals.
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She said: “Orchardville is delighted to be working in close partnership with GLL to operate the café at Grove Wellbeing Centre. We have invaluable experience of running our award-winning Orchard Café on Newtownards Road in East Belfast and are looking forward to replicating this success at Grove.
“We believe that with the right support, any individual with a learning disability or autism can reach their full potential and achieve their employment aspirations. "The café will provide meaningful work experience opportunities to people with learning disability and/or autism who wish to pursue employment in the catering, hospitality and tourism sectors.”
Discussing the development Gareth Kirk, Regional Director for Northern
Ireland at GLL, the not-for-profit charitable social enterprise, said:“GLL is proud to be able to work with an organization like Orchardville who make a very real difference to people’s lives here.
"As a social enterprise, we are keenly aware that the work we do must be of benefit to those who live in our local communities and we want the leisure centres we run to be a welcoming space for everyone. The Grove Wellbeing Centre is always buzzing with activity and the café caters for our diverse customer base.
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“In keeping with this ethos we want to ensure that our café will make a positive contribution to the wider community through this new partnership. Orchardville plays a valuable role in assisting people with learning disabilities and autism and we are keen to develop a meaningful partnership where we can not only ensure the provision of an excellent café at Grove, but also in the process, help to change lives.”
A special open day will take place on Friday, May 31 for anyone who would like to find out more about Orchardville and its plans for the café.
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