A sad end to a great success

FIFTEEN people will lose their jobs when Cafe BEST closes its doors on March 31.For all of these people it is more than just a job they are losing. BEST chief executive officer Ron Stone yesterday described the closure of the cafe as a tragedy for the current workers and for those who may have benefited. "The big problem is how do you put a money value on how much it is worth to the disabled community and the community in general," Mr Stone said.Cafe BEST supervisor Cynthia Moore said the employees were treated with respect, which had helped their growth. "I have seen some amazing growth as staff members learnt to talk and communicate with customers," Ms Moore said.She is sure the community will suffer as a result of the closure."We have parents come in on a weekly basis, hoping to put their children's names down for the work waiting list."Jude Hanton has seen a transformation in her son Ben since he started working at Cafe BEST."His self-esteem has grown and it has helped him in all sorts of ways in his life, as he feels worthy, needed and wanted," Ms Hanton said.She said Ben will miss the day-to-day friendships and customer interaction.Sally Wellard's daughter Fran was with Cafe BEST and is now working part-time with Peter Ford Catering."It provided a great opportunity for Fran to be employed while at the same time gaining transferable skills," Ms Wellard said.Ms Moore and her colleagues haven't had time to think about what comes next. "I'll just get my staff through this first."