OUR MISSION

We are proud that alongside our partner, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, we continue to achieve extraordinary outcomes, meeting our key objective of reducing reoffending. We do this in an economical way while delivering our core values of compassion, professionalism and integrity, in an environment that can sometimes seem bleak, with so many daily challenges.

The students at each of The Clink training projects train whilst working towards gaining their City & Guilds National Vocational Qualifications. Simulating a professional working environment, people in prison with 3 – 24 months of their sentence left to serve volunteer for the program, going through full-time training in order to reach the required level to succeed in their respective industry.

The Clink provides an opportunity to gain new skills and qualifications in catering and horticulture. They then support the students and Clink graduates to help them secure accommodation upon release. This offers them a real chance to return to the community with the ability to turn their lives around which will cut crime and improve public safety.

We have a longstanding partnership with likeminded charities such as Centerpoint, City Gateway and Bounceback Divert who work to provide support for young adults and offer referral schemes for paid work opportunities as front of house staff on our events. These students will receive paid work experience whilst they gain their Institute of Hospitality certificate in Front of House service on events before we help support them into further employment with our staffing partners.

PUTTING HOPE ON THE MENU

The Clink Charity was founded in 2009 with a mission to reduce reoffending through its rehabilitation programmes in UK prisons.

For the last 13 years we have been changing the lives of people in prison by teaching them to grow, cook and serve food, helping them to earn industry-standard qualifications and then to secure employment.

Clink Events is a social enterprise and a part of The Clink Charity. From humble beginnings, it has grown to become one of London’s very best events caterers, providing delicious, socially conscious catering, while helping prison leavers and young people to discover a brighter future.

TRANSFORMING LIVES WHILE CREATING CANAPES

Clink Events operates out of two training kitchens. Our original project in HMP Downview where we train and support a cohort of 14 female students who produce the menus for our events and have the opportunity for London Living Wage (LLW) paid work experience at our partner venues through a release on temporary license. Our latest project in Herne Hill focuses on LLW work opportunities for ex-offenders and young adults.

Both kitchens train and qualify our students with City & Guilds NVQ in professional cookery whilst giving valuable life skills and work ethic.