Sheltered Occupational Services
Co. Wexford Community Workshop (Enniscorthy) Limited provides Sheltered Occupation Services to approx. 65 people with disabilities. Services users in this area are being offered a more holistic and person-centred service incorporating work as only one element giving them opportunities to develop different skills at their own pace and liking. Now included on a daily basis are: - sports, personal care, education, literacy, I.T., weaving as well as independent living skills, cooking skills, music and drama; all enhanced with the introduction of our new Resource Room.
The opening of the ‘Astro Active Sports Centre’ has allowed all the services users to choose from a programme of activities tailored to their needs and Special Olympics remain the focus for many of our services users. The occupational activity sections under the Sheltered Occupational Services umbrella are as follows;
Sewing Section
Creates a range of products from high quality lined beanbags, cushions, reflector arm bands and belts, flags and bunting, aprons, sashes and rosettes for shows. Knitting was a huge activity in CWCW over the years but is no longer used commercially unless identified as an activity service users wish to learn.
General Packaging Section
The type of work done has evolved over the years as the needs of the services users and industry has changed. The type of contract work undertaken at present includes clothes lines and orders received from a local steel manufacturing factory. We are constantly looking for new contracts that our service users enjoy doing. The income is small but it allows us the opportunity to reward our service users for their efforts.
Clothes Lines: This is a very large contract for CWCW(E) Ltd and orders for clothes lines reached150 dozen of 50 ft and 100 ft rope each month. 3 different companies contracted this type of work and it is still going on today but to a much lesser extent. CWCW continues to supply Tesco with Clothes Lines.
Lanyards: Large numbers of these were supplied to the FCA and Girl Guides over several years. They are still done here but on a very small scale.
Screen Printing: This was a specialist service provided by CWCW which is in little demand at present. Printing was done for a variety of organisations.
Woodwork and Woodturning Section
This section manufactures bedroom and kitchen furniture as well as craft timber bowls, plant stands and lamp stands in conjunction with Bellefield Design. Items are produced for stock and individual orders are taken for one-off items e.g. Enniscorthy Golf Club changing rooms and the reception area.
Exhibition pieces have been designed and manufactured in this section and the service has entered craft exhibitions in the RDS. Gift items have also been produced for dignitaries and guests such as President Mary Robinson. One off items have also been specially produced for visiting teams and have been taken as far a field as Russia and Belgium.
Car wash
The car wash is a successful enterprise which is run from the premises at Bellefield.
It is well known in the local community and has much repeat business. An Gardai Siochana, An Post, Bus Eireann use this service on a regular basis. The service is open Monday to Saturday.
Salt'n Pepper Pot
The Salt ‘n Pepper Pot Restaurant was originally established in 1991 and caters for all the needs of staff and service uses (totalling 120 people) on a daily basis as well as doing some contract catering externally. The Salt ‘n Pepper Pot name was chosen in 2003 as a result of a competition within CWCW (E) Ltd. This service was also introduced to Kilcannon Garden Centre in 2003.
Each day the Restaurant makes scones and bread for sale as well as serving two hot main course, salads and sandwiches for dinner. Special requests are catered for when the need arises. The Restaurant also supplies one of the local supermarkets with meat pies for their deli counter. A Cake Sale is run each Friday through Bellefield Design and homemade produce ranging from tarts, scones and breads to jams and chutneys are sold to customers.
Birthday Parties and Novely Birthday Cakes are catered for in conjunction with our Astro Active Centre. Orders taken now for our reputable Christmas Fruit Cakes & Puddings.
Picture framing section
This is one of the busiest sections in CWCW (E) Ltd. The service is well known throughout the area for its quality and value and customers travel from as far a field as Galway and Dublin to have framing done. Services provided include picture framing, dry mounting, framing of mirrors, tapestries and canvasses. The service works regularly with local artists and also has a contract with An Bord Bia.
