Ei partners with prison restaurant charity
The pubco will work with charity The Clink to design an activity programme for prisoners and said the initiative was a chance to progress its aim of promoting hospitality careers.
Ex offenders and employment
More than 10m people in the UK have a criminal record.
Only 17% people with a criminal history are employed on a payroll in the year following their release from prison, according to 2018 UK Government figures.
Charities have been working to reduce barriers into employment after prison in a bid to reduce re offending rates.
This has been particularly pertinent in the hospitality sector, which has experienced difficulties filling posts.
Last year, charity Only a Pavement Away (OAPA) was launched to act as a conduit between licensed hospitality employers and the homeless and ex-offenders.
Around 200 prisoners currently receive training for a Level 2 NVQ in food service, food preparation, food hygiene and horticulture, from The Clink.
The charity has four training restaurants in Brixton, Cardiff, High Down, and Styal prisons, in partnership with the prison and probation services.
Ei Group chief executive officer Simon Townsend said the company was delighted to work with the charity.
He went on: “The results it has achieved through its training programmes are impressive and we look forward to working together to support the charity in the future.
“As a business we are committed to promoting pubs and the wider hospitality sector as a career of choice and changing perceptions about the life-long opportunities, from bar to boardroom, that our industry offers.
Second chances
Christopher Moore, chief executive at the charity, added: “The Clink Charity demonstrates what can be achieved when society collectively engages to help those who want and deserve a second chance.
“We want to expand our training projects further and by partnering with Ei Group we will be able to raise awareness of our work in reducing reoffending and support the hospitality industry, which has a major skills shortage. Overall, we’ll be working together to change attitudes, transform lives, create second chances and make society a safer place.”
