Rosie's in Aberdeen, which is operated by Turning Point Scotland, held a special celebration earlier this month

One of Scotland’s oldest social enterprise cafes has celebrated a milestone anniversary.

Rosie’s Café was the first social enterprise to be opened by Turning Point Scotland in 1999, and now forms a key role in a well-established group of enterprises operated by the charity which support people in recovery from mental ill health or acquired brain injury.

Staff, service users, customers and partner organisations came together to enjoy a day of 20th birthday celebration at Rosie’s Café in Rosemount, Aberdeen, earlier this month.

Rosie’s is a welcoming community café in the heart of the local community and is a favourite for people popping in for a real hearty breakfast or a bowl of soup at lunch time. The most frequent comment from customers is “the soup is just like my grandma used to make”

Service manager Alison Paterson said: “It was a wonderful day! We are all so proud of how far Rosie’s has come and, most importantly, of the people we have supported over the years.’

The positive impact on service users’ lives from having real work experience in a supported environment, encouraged Turning Point Scotland to expand its portfolio, and the charity’s Holburn Street premises now houses picture framing, crafts and graphic design workshops, fronted by a gift shop. Building on the success of the Aberdeen-based enterprises, the Rosies model is now replicated throughout Scotland.

In May this year, the charity launched an upcycling workshop, transforming old pieces of furniture which would otherwise have been sent to landfill, into beautiful, bespoke items, guaranteed to be given pride of place in any home.

l Rosie’s features in our Cafes with a Conscience feature in this month’s TFN magazine