About Us
Link Galway CLG known locally as Cafe Link is a social enterprise operating in Galway City since 1994 providing inclusive employment opportunities, catering skills training and day services to people with intellectual disabilities. Link Galway was origionally set up by parents of adult children with an intellectual disability who wanted meaningful occupation for their children to which came a HSE funded Section 39 organisation. We are an independent organisation governed by our own voluntary board of directors.
As of 2024, we now employ sixteen staff with an intellectual disability while we also have fourteen trainees at our culinary skills training centre.
Our Day Services and Catering Skills Training Centre previously operated as a training cafe from 1994 until March 2020. At our peak, hundreds of hot meals were pumped out daily from our kitchen across the city to customers such as the ESB, Brothers of Charity, HSE or NUIG where we also stocked a canteen.
As disability policy changed in Ireland under the HSE New Directions directive, Link Galway CLG had a change of direction and has had a rebirth in 2024 as we turn 30.
The original Cafe Link on Sandy Road still exists but is no longer open to the public. Instead of a training cafe being offered, we now deliver an adult day service with a focus on catering skills training. We will soon be offering QQI modules in partnership with the GRETB to open more opportunities to those with an intellectual disability in Galway. Our Adult Day Service and Training Centre is funded by the HSE as well as our strategic partner Ability West.
Cafe Link Bakery & Catering Service relaunched in January 2024 thanks to funding from Rethink Ireland. We now employ nine staff with an intellectual disability operating under the direction of our kitchen supervisors in our HSE approved kitchen. We make lots of tasty baked goods in house as well as producing hot meals, soups and salads which are made on demand for our corporate clients or to stock our own cafe!
Cafe Link, 25 Newcastle Road, Galway, on the grounds of the HSE Community Care West has a major overhaul having engaged with stakeholders during 2023 to what we have today which is a busy, high volume cafe serving the Galway community in a warm modern cafe where our supported staff thrive! At Cafe Link Newcastle, we employ seven people with an intellectual disability working with our Cafe Manager and team of hard working Cafe Supervisors and our Catering Leader. This reinvestment is thanks to our continued partnership with the HSE at local level. We enjoy serving the wider public and meeting new customers so please pay us a visit and check us out!
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