We have held a unique celebration and showcase event in Whistledown Hotel, Warrenpoint. The event highlighted the achievements of service users and recognised their hard work and progress as they move towards employment. It also offered the opportunity to engage with local employers from the area and highlight the many advantages of adopting diversity through recruitment.

MLA Andrew McMurray (Alliance) presented certificates. Speaking at the event he said:

“It has been brilliant to join in with today's celebration at Cedar Foundation. I would like to congratulate all those who received their certificates today on their hard work and achievement. I would also like to thank those working at Cedar Foundation for the great support they are providing to people living with brain injury, autism, and disabilities so that they can reach their full potential.” 

Councillor Helena Young (Alliance), added:

“It has been a real privilege to have visited Cedar Foundation in Newry on a number of occasions. They provide an invaluable service and vital support to people living with brain injury, autism, and disabilities. At the very heart of their work is a deep commitment to inclusion, choice, and opportunity for everyone they support. I would like to sincerely commend the entire team for their hard work, compassion, and dedication. Your commitment truly makes a difference in people’s lives. And to all the wonderful individuals receiving certificates — congratulations on your achievements. This is a proud and well-deserved moment, and you should be very proud of everything you have accomplished."

Rochelle Earley described her experience of participating in the Skills Connect programme: 

"Serendipity is the word for a chance encounter with a positive outcome. I had no idea Cedar was an organisation that existed, and so serendipity is the appropriate word. After years of bouncing around attempting to get myself into a healthy workplace, Cedar was able to help me find a sector that fit me and a place in that sector that would be sustainable for me through a well presented and clearly communicated course delivered by staff that were both well trained and compassionate.

Due to this my confidence and mental health have increased greatly, allowing me to start taking real steps towards the things I want to do in life including running my own business now that I have capital building up from my new employment. I'm looking forward to being able to help spread the confidence and happiness CEDAR has helped me gain into others.”

Sarah McEvoy, Proprietor of the Whistledown Hotel said:

“Inclusive recruitment is important to us at the Whistledown because people are at the heart of hospitality. I would recommend that employers embrace working with Cedar because many employers narrow recruitment down to CV’s or simple interview processes and miss out on the benefits of drawing from a wide pool of talent. We have enjoyed the opportunity to promote paid employment for all and champion diverse recruitment practices.”

Elaine Armstrong, Cedar CEO, said: 

“Today was a wonderful opportunity to recognise the commitment and dedication of Cedar service users. Their clear motivation to achieve their employment goals and bring their skills into the local workforce have been deeply evident in the personal stories of their experiences on our employability programmes. The networking element of the event highlights the importance of partnerships with health services and strengthening inclusive professional connections in the community. We are committed to continue to support people to find work and collaborating with local employers to build more success stories like those we celebrated today.”