PRISONER rehabilitation charity The Clink is opening a new city centre café, staffed by offenders and homeless young people, in the iconic Grade II listed Canada House building on Chepstow Street.
The Clink already runs restaurants at four prisons, including HMP Styal, near Manchester Aiport, where it has helped to cut re-offending rates by 41 per cent by equipping inmates with cookery and front-of-house skills that an enable them find work on their release.
Opening to the public in mid-April, The Clink Cafe aims to cater directly to city centre workers, shoppers and visitors, using fresh, high quality, seasonal ingredients.
The new venture focuses on training and rehabilitating former prisoners who have graduated from The Clink's other restaurants, as well as working with clients of youth homeless charity Centrepoint,.
The staff will work towards City and Guilds NVQ level 2 qualifications in food and beverage service, as well as barista skills.
Clink chief exec Chris Moore said: “Our Clink restaurants have proved incredibly successful and the café will give us the opportunity to continue the training and provide our graduates with the chance to achieve their full potential. Working with Centrepoint, as we do with Clink Events, allows us to expand the great work both charities do to help those who need a second chance.”
In under a decade of existence, The Clink has assisted more than 800 prisoners to find work in both high end establishments and national chains such as Wahaca and Carluccio’s.