Sundaes, waffles, and second chances - why Just-Ice is unlike any other ice cream parlour
19.06.2022 - 09:55
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An ice cream shop isn’t the sort of place you would expect to be busy on an overcast Thursday morning, but Just-Ice on Park Lane in Poynton is no ordinary ice cream parlour. While it does serve some of the best sundaes and waffles in the area, what makes this café unique is its mission to offer sympathetic and supportive employment to survivors of modern slavery.
Before the social enterprise launched in October last year, it started off as a stand-alone ice cream trike known as Harriet - named after the American abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman. While the trike can still be found selling ice cream at festivals, weddings and private events, the shop is now the main focus and has become a vital community asset.
“The original Just-Ice is run by a really inspirational couple called Gavin and Sally Murray in Derby,” explained Poynton Just-Ice co-founder Jo Rodman. “They became interested in the problem of modern slavery and human trafficking and also had a hobby of ice cream making, so combined the two.
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“When we heard about them, I just thought it was amazing. I’m from a small business background myself and I thought I’d really like to do something like that, plus I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth.
“We thought how wonderful it would be to create a welcoming, friendly space that can serve as a meeting point for the community - somewhere where loneliness and isolation can be tackled - and also somewhere that welcomes into employment people who haven’t got the right to work in the UK.”
So far, Jo, who brought the concept to life with the help and support of St George’s Church in Poynton, has brought on three survivors of