Giraffe Trading and Checkin Works

Known locally as Giraffe, due to our social enterprise cafe in Perth, we support people over the age of 16 from all over Perth and Kinross and beyond. Our primary aim is to help people with severe and complex barriers, such as learning disabilities, autism and mental ill health, to make the transition towards inclusion, socialisation and, if appropriate, into meaningful work. Annually (outwith COVID!) we support more than 150 trainees directly and many hundreds more through our lunch clubs, community activity, organisational support, joint fundraising activities and more. Our trainees are supported through a mixed programme of training, socialisation, accredited learning, team work, work experience, wellness and outdoor activities. To generate income for our organisation, as well as providing activities and opportunities for our trainees, we run an outside catering business, a busy cafe and support the wider local community through running a support hub and supplying free, healthy meals to people experiencing food insecurity or who simply want to minimise waste. In mid-2022 we are due to open the Giraffe Community Kitchen - this facility is an industrial production and community kitchen with the potential to work with more trainees, support more people in our geographic community and generate more income for our charity and social enterprise. We support other local food and drink businesses through managing the local food and drink tourism group, Great Perthshire, in partnership with Scotland Food and Drink and Perth and Kinross Council.