The Economy Minister Conor Murphy paid a visit to Café IncredABLE @ South Lake in Craigavon on Monday 8 April highlighting the important role social enterprises play in creating a growing economy.
Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been three years since the parent organisation, incredABLE, courageously opened the doors of Cafe incredABLE @ South Lake. Nestled within the state-of-the-art South Lake Leisure Centre in Craigavon, their mission is to provide meaningful opportunities for individuals with intellectual/learning disabilities and/or autism in the local community.
The Minister expressed admiration for social enterprises like Café IncredABLE , emphasizing their significant contributions to local economies and communities. The Minister said:
“Social Enterprises, such as the IncredABLE Café, have long supported our local economies and communities. They provide innovative solutions that contribute to my economic vision of providing good jobs, improving regional balance, helping with decarbonisation, and increasing productivity.”
In addition, the Minister announced that Social Enterprise Northern Ireland (SENI) has secured a grant to deliver the Department for the Economy’s Social Enterprise Work Programme from 2024 to 2027. This grant represents a substantial increase in funding, with £230k allocated annually.
The Minister said: “SENI will implement an ambitious work program with several objectives that aim to support and grow the sector and individual Social Enterprises within it. This uplift in funding will provide additional resources to help social enterprises become even more effective and take advantage of emerging local and global opportunities.”
Café IncredABLE @ South Lake has become a bustling hub, attracting a diverse range of customers who come not only for the fantastic food but also to support a cause they believe in. The demand for the café’s exceptional services has been overwhelming, prompting the expansion of the hardworking team.