Opening of New Stepping Stones NI Café in Lisburn City Centre
December 4, 2019
Alderman Allan Ewart, MBE, Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Development Committee welcomes new social enterprise café “2nd Avenue” to Lisburn City Centre. Managed by award-winning charitable organisation, Stepping Stones NI, doors opened for customers on 3 December 2019.
Stepping Stones NI has two divisions - its services division provides training and employment support from aged sixteen to people with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and learning difficulties. Earlier in 2019, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council awarded £400,000 over four years (2018 – 2022) to match funding from the European Social Fund Programme 2014 – 2020 and the Department for the Economy for the ‘Stepping Stones to Employment Service’ to match fund the organisation’s application to the European Social Fund Funding Agreement. The investment will see at least 56 adults with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, a learning disability or learning difficulty gaining employment and 387 participants across the council area progressing through its service.
Stepping Stones NI’s social enterprise division provides training and support for people with learning disabilities.
2nd Avenue, located on Antrim Street, Lisburn, is the newest addition to Stepping Stones NI’s social enterprises. Run by a team of catering and hospitality staff, adults with a learning disability or learning difficulty are trained up to NVQ level in food preparation and service. The café offers a delicious range of breakfast and lunch choices to enjoy sitting in or to go. Vegan and gluten free options are also available.
One hundred percent of all income generated through 2nd Avenue is put back into Stepping Stones NI to deliver services for people with learning difficulties and learning disabilities.
Speaking about the new initiative, Alderman Allan Ewart, MBE, said: “I am delighted to have been invited to the launch of this exciting new café in the heart of Lisburn, a welcomed addition to the bustling community.
2nd Avenue provides a realistic training platform within a catering setting for people with a learning disability, Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia or a learning difficulty.
Stepping Stones NI continues to be at the centre of our local community and we are extremely supportive of this new social enterprise. It is great to see the council’s investment being actioned so quickly and I would encourage those in the Lisburn Castlereagh area to pay a visit and support this wonderful café.”
Paula Jennings, Chief Officer, Stepping Stones NI said: “We are immensely proud to have opened 2nd Avenue, aptly named by the trainees, following 11 years of success of sister café The Avenue on Wallace Avenue, Lisburn.
2nd Avenue is situated at 52-56 Antrim Street in Lisburn and offers a social space for the local community to meet up and to enjoy high quality, freshly prepared breakfast and lunch options from an extensive menu.
Supporting our social enterprises allows Stepping Stones NI to continue making a real and lasting impact to the lives of our trainees. By reinvesting all income generated through 2nd Avenue, we can provide opportunities to positively and directly impact upon people with learning disabilities and difficulties, and their families”.
For more information, telephone 2nd Avenue on 028 9260 4055 or follow the 2nd Aveunue Facebook page.
For more information about the work of Stepping Stones NI, please visit https://www.steppingstonesni.com/ or call 028 9266 7124.