With the generous support from Lane Crawford Joyce Group, New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (New Life) officially opened organic retail shop farmfresh330 (Queensway shop) in March 2019, which was the 22nd social enterprise under New Life. Not only offering opportunity to people in recovery of mental illness (PIR) for training and working, the shop was also promote "Healthy Diet” and support "Products of Benefiting More”, "Fair Trade” and "Local Production”.
Since its opening, the Queensway shop had been supplying diversified and quality food choice for customers in the area thus was welcomed among consumers. As the lease contract will expire in February this year, the shop will leave LAB CONCEPT afterwards. Before closure, a series of time-limited offers will be released as gratitude to the support of our customers.
Promoting 330 well-being to the public and Expecting More Support
Besides promoting the principle of "Recovery-oriented”, New Life also focuses on integrating the idea of "330” (body, mind and spirit) into the daily life of the general public. By establishing our first social enterprise in 1994 and the "330” brand in 2010, we hope to bring our service and the concept of "330” to larger scale. Being a social enterprise, it is challenging to survive in central commercial area with expensive rental cost. Only if with the support from the land owner may the shop be opened in the busy LAB CONCEPT in the last three years. Although social instability and pandemic had made time tougher, we insisted. We fully understand the consideration of the owner and we sincerely appreciate the support and help in the past three years they had offered. And we will keep looking for more suitable opportunity to promote the concept of "330” and help PIR to reintegrate into the society.
Helping PIR Reintegrate into Society and Exerting Advantage
In over 20 social enterprises under New Life, there are dozens of PIR who received occupational training and get prepared to rejoin the communities. As one of the PIR, Sara has been receiving vocational rehabilitation services for more than ten years. She used to work for New Life Restaurants and cafe330. Her communication and sale skill were noticed by the New Life Retail Manager, Ms. Maya Liu, who then recommended her to work in farmfresh330 Queensway shop to exert her advantage in full.
In Queensway shop, Sara had achieved significant progress, "My job duty is to introduce healthy food to customers. Not only my knowledge to healthy diet and green production enhances, but also my standard to my own physical wellness.”
As the witness of Sara’s progress and effort, Maya said, "She would directly come to me if there were any questions. And she would call me if I was not in the shop, such as how to cook different food, and what the benefit would be so that she could give better recommendation to customers.”
The passion and persistence of Sara had won her the Progress Award in Social Enterprises Employee Recognition Scheme 2021 by HKGCSE. Sara’s mother wept for joy that night, and Sara would surely carry on with her career with sincerity and full passion to realise a better self.
