Have you heard about Rise at the Cove? It's a wonderful cafe that opened its doors in November of 2021. What's special about this cafe is that it was established as a social enterprise with the aim of giving employment to the men and women coming through the Tiglin rehabilitation programme. The cafe was the brainchild of Tiglin CEO Phil Thompson and Chairman Aubrey McCarthy along with Wicklow County Council.
Gavin Murphy, the manager of Rise, trained all of the new staff before the cafe opened and continues to run it to this day. The main objective of the cafe was to create a community space in Greystones where everyone can meet and feel relaxed while also breaking the stigma surrounding addiction by putting the graduates of Tiglin face to face with those in the locality.
What's even better is that the cafe quickly became a firm favourite with the local sea swimmers due to its location beside the popular swimming cove in Greystones. The word soon spread about the quality of the coffee and service and the special atmosphere, and before long, it was a favourite spot for hundreds of local Greystonians. And a community of its own has grown.
Currently, Rise employs and trains 6 staff members from Tiglin, and they are always taking new graduates on. They also provide employment for several members of the Ukrainian community who live in Tiglin’s Coolnagreina facility. Rise tries to source as much of its produce from local suppliers within a 5km radius as it can. All of their pastries, cakes, coffee, bean to bar chocolate, and keep cups are made by suppliers in the town or adjacent towns. This allows them to keep money in the local community and also help provide employment for people in local businesses.
Something special about the cafe is that because of the guys and girls working there and their struggles with addiction, it has helped inform customers about a subject that is still considered quite taboo. Several customers have opened up to staff members about their own struggles or those of family members and have been given advice in finding the right help. This has been an unexpected bonus to come out of the cafe being staffed by Tiglin residents.
The cafe has also been used as a venue for many community events, including a huge St Patrick's day concert in 2022, as there was no parade held in the town. It was also the stage for several sea swimming safety talks and a youth open mic. The recent addition of Fad Saoil Saunas has been the icing of the cake. Gym+Coffee has also held events here and got to meet all of their inspiring customers and staff. Long may this relationship continue.
Overall,Rise at the Cove is a wonderful example of a cafe that not only serves great food and coffee but also makes a real difference in the community. It's a place where everyone is welcome, and it's heartwarming to see the positive impact it has had on the lives of those involved.
