bartlett mitchell partners with The Clink Charity

bartlett mitchell has announced a new partnership with The Clink Charity to supply its premium coffee brand Perkee and deliver barista skills for prisoners undertaking its training programmes. As part of the collaboration, the caterer will roll out its sustainable Fairtrade coffee offer across The Clink’s four restaurants and its café.

In addition to introducing its signature Perkee coffee brand, bartlett mitchell will also play an active role in supporting The Clink Café Charity’s high street café in Manchester, which opened last year. The company will provide direct training to the café team, regular audits and offer menu development and marketing support.

Founded in 2009, The Clink Charity dramatically reduces reoffending rates by delivering City and Guilds NVQ training in real life working environments to the prisoners in training. The charity also meets Clink graduates at the gate upon release and finds them accommodation and full-time employment. The Clink’s support workers are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help them re-adjust back into society which dramatically reduces reoffending.

Ian Thomas, CEO of bartlett mitchell, said: “The Clink is doing incredible work. Prisoners that go through its programme are 41% less likely to reoffend and we are delighted to support the charity on their journey.

“This partnership enables us to give back to both the UK hospitality industry and our society by upskilling prisoners, growing the potential talent pool in a sector beset with skills shortages and creating job opportunities that help to reduce reoffending rates.”

Christopher Moore, CEO of The Clink Charity, added: “We’re hugely thankful to bartlett mitchell for its support with this exciting initiative. Introducing its award-winning Perkee Fairtrade coffee to our restaurants and café not only ensures that our customers receive a premium product but our students are also learning barista skills at the same time. The other side of the transaction is that it also improves the lives of the Soppexcca Cooperative farmers in Nicaragua.”