Social enterprise will create 21 new jobs after winning hospitality contracts for two leading Belfast leisure centres.
Northern Ireland registered charity and social enterprise, Orchardville, is seeking 21 full time and part time hospitality workers for its new cafés at two Belfast leisure centres.
The cafés within Better’s Andersonstown and Lisnasharragh leisure centres will provide training opportunities for people with learning disability and autism to learn skills that will enhance their employment prospects.
Orchardville won the contracts in September 2021 following a tender exercise conducted by GLL, who operate 14 leisure centres under the ‘Better’ brand.
RELATED: Ballymena charity to help create over 50 jobs
The partnership follows on from the contract it won for GLL’s north Belfast wellbeing centre, The Grove, in 2019 when it employed 11 people. It also represents a huge endorsement for the organisation which already operates Orchard Café in East Belfast.
Speaking about the contract wins and new roles, Joan McGinn, chief executive at Orchardville, said: “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 cafés 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 sector.”
GLL runs Belfast City Council’s leisure centre portfolio, which comprises 14 separate venues. As part of the £105 million Leisure Transformation Programme, many of the sites have undergone significant overhauls and have recently re- opened to the public during the pandemic.
Orchardville’s new Orchard Café at Andersonstown will be located within the newly revamped £25m venue, which opened in 2020.
RELATED: Danske Bank to create 45 new jobs
Meanwhile, Orchard Café at Lisnasharragh, a £20m facility in East Belfast which launched in 2019, will service an annual footfall of 500,000.
Orchardville will begin its recruitment process for the Andersonstown Centre complex first, with workers due to go onsite from November 2021. Meanwhile those selected to work at its Lisnasharragh site will take up their positions in January 2022.
From its offices in East Belfast, Bangor, Lisburn and Derry, Orchardville also facilitates occupational and vocational skills, wellbeing support, skills for life and work, OCN (Open College Network) accredited training, school transitions services, work placements and paid employment.
Source: Written from press release.
