Entrepreneurial spirit at day centres in Shropshire
Adults with learning disabilities in Shropshire have shown their entrepreneurial spirit by launching coffee shops at two day centres.
The new shops are at The Meres Day Centre in Ellesmere and Raven House in Market Drayton – and both were set up by adults with learning disabilities who attend each service.
The coffee shop at The Meres opened in mid-July and is already proving popular with people visiting the centre, as well as people who come in specifically for a drink or piece of cake.
Along with drinks and snacks, the shop sells handmade goods from Corner Patch – another enterprise run by adults with learning disabilities in Oswestry – and fresh produce from Greenacres Farm, also a day service for people with disabilities.
The idea came from came from two people who attend The Meres, Emma and Becky, who had previously worked in a cafe and thought it would be a great idea to open one themselves to bring the community in and give an opportunity for another member of the group, Stephen, to sell his artwork.
At Raven House in Market Drayton, people using the service decided opening a coffee shop would bring more of a community feel to the building and give them an opportunity to learn new skills which could also be used for employment in other places.
Councillor Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for adult social care, said:
“It’s great to see enterprises like these being established by people using day centres.
“Being involved with running a commercial operation like a coffee shop gives people genuine responsibility and greatly improves their motivation and satisfaction.
“I would encourage anyone in Market Drayton or Ellesmere to pop in for cup of tea or a coffee and support these fantastic enterprises. Hats off to all involved.”
The coffee shops are not the only examples of enterprising work at council-run day centres.
Greenacres Farm has a stall selling fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as chutneys and jams, at Shirehall in Shrewsbury every Wednesday.
Corner Patch is a shop in the centre of Oswestry selling all manner of handcrafted gifts and items for the home – all made by people while they attend day services.
Maesbury Metals is a metal workshop near Oswestry, where adults with learning disabilities make an array of items such as gates, obelisks for the garden and pieces of art.
