Background
Scrabo Catering Enterprises was established in January 1999 to develop
a Community business, which would provide employment and training
opportunities for marginalized social groups including people with
mental ill health and learning disability. In June 2000 it opened
Daisies, a café/catering establishment located in the Old Ards
Hospital Site. The business provides a café service for patients,
workers and visitors to the hospital, as well as to the general public.
The enterprise operates as a Social Economy Enterprise (SEE); owned
and managed by community representatives and all profits are reinvested
into the business.
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As with all SEEs, the company is managed by a voluntary
Board of Directors made up of community representatives with specific skills
and knowledge relevant to the business and its social aims and objectives,
and the board includes members with backgrounds in health care and catering.
Business Objectives
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To provide sustainable employment for young adults
with mental ill health and learning disability. |
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To provide a suitable environment for the training and development
of trainees in the catering industry. |
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To develop both in-house and outside catering facilities
to serve the local
market. |
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To comply with current health and safety regulations. |
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To comply with environmental health legislation within the
Borough Council area. |
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Business operations
The business currently offers three types of business service:
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A coffee shop – in an area of the hospital previously
used as a ward, which has been converted for these purposes. The coffee
shop is open from 9.00 am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. |
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A sandwich service – for local offices |
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Sale of own products – the business produces a range
of ‘own tray bakes’ etc. for sale at the coffee shop. |
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Success so far
The enterprise has been successfully trading since
June 2000, employs 4 full-time staff and provides training and
employment opportunities for 12 people who would normally be
excluded from opportunities of this kind. In 2001 the project
was presented with the Southern Regional Community Business
Award by LEDU (Invest NI) for outstanding services. In September
2001, the company achieved its financial targets and broke even.
It is now in the process of expanding Daisies to provide a Home
Entertainment Catering Service. This new service will provide
a supply of dishes to be taken home by customers and create
new jobs. |
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Benefit to the Community : |
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Provision of sustainable employment to
disadvantaged groups within the
community. |
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Provision of training opportunities for disadvantaged
groups. |
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Improved quality of life for employees and trainees. |
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Improve future employment opportunities for trainees. |
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Introduction to the community of an enterprise initiative. |
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Provision of a local service, which meets an identified
market need |
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| The project has been supported
by: |
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Ulster Community & Hospitals Trust |
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Ards Local Strategy Partnership Board Ltd |
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Lottery Community Fund |
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Invest NI Community Business Programme |
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Calouste Guilbenkian Foundation |
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Enkalon Foundation |
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Henry Smith Charity |
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