A charity has opened a new Social Blend coffee shop at Braehead Shopping Centre.
Radio presenters George Bowie and Cassi Gillespie from Clyde 1 officially launched Include Me 2 Club’s (IM2C) latest's venture with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.
The opening of the inclusive social enterprise marks another milestone in the charity's mission to support people with additional support needs, disabilities and mental health conditions.
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The new spot, serving up coffee roasted by Glasgow-based roasters Thomson Coffee, is IM2C's fifth Social Blend location.
Paul McIlvenny, the charity's chairperson, said: “Opening our fifth Social Blend is an incredible achievement for everyone involved.
"Each new site represents more opportunities for young people to grow in confidence, learn new skills and feel valued within their community.
“We are incredibly proud to see Social Blend continue to grow and to be launching at such a vibrant location as Braehead Shopping Centre.”
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IM2C launched its first Social Blend coffee shop at the Hub at the James McGuire Building in Barrhead in 2020 along with a gift shop and pottery studio after 14 months of hard work renovating the building.
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Since then they have also launched coffee shops at the Hub at Cowan Park Lodge in Barrhead, Eastwood Health Centre in Clarkston and at the Parkhead Hub on Duke Street in Glasgow.
Social Blend provides training, confidence-building and employment opportunities for people who may face barriers to entering the workplace.
Across its locations, it currently supports more than 45 trainees and volunteers, while also offering 15 to 20 school and college placement experiences, helping people gain valuable real-world skills in a supportive environment.
The latest space at Braehead was built by Pacific Building, who partnered with IM2C to deliver a bespoke branded counter unit for the space.
The coffee shop will be open during Braehead’s standard opening hours.
Ashley Bisland, centre director at Braehead, said: “We are delighted to welcome Social Blend to Braehead Shopping Centre.
“Their inclusive approach and positive impact within the community make them a fantastic addition to our retail and leisure offering, aligning with our initiative to continue supporting causes and organisations within our local community."
"We look forward to seeing them thrive here at the centre and are proud to be involved in such an important partnership," she added.
Conal Lavery, sales director for Thomsons added: “We are proud to continue this long-term partnership with Social Blend on this exciting new opening at Braehead Shopping Centre.
“Their commitment to inclusion and creating meaningful opportunities for young people aligns strongly with our own values, and we are delighted to support such an impactful social enterprise.”
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