Full steam for the next 21 years

&149 Chris Hicks shows off his latest batch of tofu

It is a busy afternoon at The Engine Shed, its popular cafe a hit with Southsiders more than two decades on from the day it opened its doors to the community. Rightly so - it ticks all the boxes after all; the inviting aroma of baked treats and freshly-brewed coffee, a homely feel and good service. The prices are very reasonable as well.

Yet scrape the surface and this hidden gem, tucked away on St Leonard's Lane near to the former Innocent Railway line, is far from run of the mill. For while it is first and foremost a business, a busy cafe with conference facilities, a bakery and an outside catering service, it is also a lifeline for people with learning disabilities - it is they who have kept it running like a well-oiled machine and continue to do so as it celebrates its 21st anniversary.

"I always think it's great when customers just hand their dirty trays over to staff - it means they don't see any differences," says Marian MacDonald, The Engine Shed's chief executive officer.

Forgetting about differences, "labels", or disabilities is exactly what The Engine Shed is about, giving those who need it a chance to flourish in a society where they could otherwise find it hard to make their mark.

The concept is very simple and one that has given hundreds of people a chance of a full life, offering them a disciplined grounding in the catering industry, including placements in many major city organisations, to allow them to move on to seek permanent, paid employment - and that all important chance to lead an independent life.

"Some sail through the three years they spend here," says Marian, who helped found The Engine Shed. "For some, it all seems to click into place at the end. A lot of our trainees can run the kitchen by the end of just a year though.

"A lot of them have been over-protected growing up and have had things done for them.

"We raise their expectations of themselves and show them they can succeed."

When it comes to knowing exactly what it takes to run The Engine Shed, a Garvald Community social enterprise inspired by the principles of Rudolf Steiner, focusing on the uniqueness of each individual, former social worker Marian could probably do it with her eyes shut.

Having played a key role in its creation, she is now co-ordinating its 21st anniversary celebrations, as well as looking firmly ahead to how it can expand its training and business opportunities to maximum effect.

She has her sights set pretty high and has already drafted in the help of city author Ian Rankin, pictured below, who wrote The Engine Shed into one of his best-selling Rebus novels, Dead Souls, in 1999. Like the real-life police officers who visit the cafe in their droves from the nearby Lothian and Borders divisional headquarters on St Leonard's Street, so did Rankin's much-loved DI John Rebus.

"Ian Rankin used to live in this area and would visit the cafe," explains Marian. "We got a lot of attention when Dead Souls came out and he later wrote about us, saying how nice the food was.

"I asked him to help and he said yes."

Rankin is busy penning the foreword for a 21st anniversary recipe book, featuring many of the favourite cakes, tray bakes and savouries The Engine Shed has become famed for over the years.

"The book is with him now," smiles Marian. "It's been great to have him come on board. We'll launch it next month and charge 5 a copy."

While she chats, some of her trainees are invited to take a break from their tasks, pulling up chairs to share their stories. Among them is 19-year-old Chris Hicks, from The Inch, who has been at The Engine Shed for two years, working primarily in its tofu kitchen.

The keen footballer, who won a gold medal at the Special Olympics last year, prides himself on his knowledge on the kitchen's machinery and speaks fondly of the time he spends here, as well as on his weekly work placement day with other city businesses.

"Being here has definitely boosted my confidence," he says with a grin, "And I have made a lot of friends too. When I leave, I would like to become a chef."

While Marian and her team are very much focused on giving the people who come to the Engine Shed a training in the catering industry, they also place a major emphasis on other skills and behaviour, including punctuality and good routines.

Every trainee is entitled to receive benefits while they are at The Engine Shed, but they are also given a 15 training allowance at the end of each week.

"They are actually handed that money, which is very important. It can be abstract until they see it. But they do not get it if they do not come in to work," says Marian.

Trainee Natasha Connon, a 21-year-old from Fountainbridge, laughs off the suggestion that Marian and her colleagues, sitting next to her, are bossy.

"Nah ... the staff are fantastic," she smiles. "I love working here.

"What don't I like? Well, probably emptying the bins - but I do them anyway."

Due to finish his first year at the Engine Shed is Michael Stevenson, 19, from Corstorphine, who studied at Stevenson College before his tutors told him of the training he could get from Marian and her team. "It's great fun, but it's hard work," he says. "It's given me a lot of experience."

With tables to clear, and preparation work to be done, the trainees head back to work, while Marian reveals that like most businesses, they have been hit by the recession and for them to be here for another 21 years, they need to continue to work hard to pull in the crowds, many of whom may still be unaware of what goes on behind the doors of this exciting building.

The right track

The Engine Shed is a social enterprise that boasts a vegetarian cafe, outside catering service, organic bakery and specialist tofu production unit.

The building also has conference facilities for up to 60 people.

Since January 1990 it has been housed at 19 St Leonard's Lane in a 1830s property originally owned by British Rail owing to its proximity to the Innocent Railway Line which once connected the Lothians. The building had been abandoned for many years and was in desperate need of attention when The Engine Shed team moved in.

Although The Engine Shed is a training centre, it is a proven commercial enterprise, generating income through its many ventures which contribute to its overall running costs.

This income is used to reduce the level of funding requested from outside bodies.

For information on The Engine Shed, its facilities, or how your business can help with work placements for trainees, call 0131-662 0040 or visit www.theengineshed.org.