About Us

Unique opened in January 2000 as a youth charity, rapidly developing into a multi-award winning social enterprise, employing 22 full time staff across two sites

Unique operates a diverse range of innovative social enterprises including a highly successful Alternative Education programme and drop-in youth Coffee Bar (an independent Youth Project which includes young people at the core of decision making). Unique Coffee Bar receives around 14,000 visits per year and many local people credit the centre with helping reduce anti-social behavior and improve community relations

Following the success of the Unique Coffee Bar, The Unique Network was developed, aiming to help other communities successfully replicate the Unique Coffee Bar model in their own towns incorporating sustainability through social enterprise . Success has already been achieved with 2 replicated Coffee Bars trading within the region, with more planned for the future

Unique Scrap Store is an environmental re-use project collecting usable, safe and clean surplus-to-requirements materials from local industry and individuals. Unique Scrap Store supplies a wide range of brand new arts and crafts items, selling them on at very low cost to the public and community groups, schools, clubs etc, alike. This project provides valuable work-experience placements for young people experiencing difficulties in school and is the UK’s 1st eCommerce Scrap Store – you can order on line at any time