He is the latest hospitality expert to join the Clink ambassador programme that provides the support of dedicated industry professionals to help strengthen the educational offering, nurture the trainees and champion the work of The Clink.
A hotelier and Master Innholder, Bamford has been appointed to provide support to ex-offenders graduating from the training scheme and to help them nurture their continued development as they enter careers within the industry.
Bamford said: “The Clink Charity has already done such excellent training work with prisoners in the UK which has dramatically reduced reoffending rates and I am thrilled to have joined its ambassador programme as group mentoring ambassador.
“We are extremely fortunate in the hospitality sector to have numerous networks available to us and I am very proud to be spreading The Clink’s word amongst them to drive support from our industry peers.”
Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity, added: “It’s fantastic to have Graham on board with us as The Clink’s group mentoring ambassador.
“His incredible experience in some of the country’s highest rated establishments will enrich the hands-on training offered to the prisoners working as part of the charity’s rehabilitation programme.
“With his enviable book of contacts within the hospitality industry, and more specifically hotels, I hope he will be able to aid our prisoner recruitment efforts by helping to change misconceptions of employing an ex-offender.”
The ambassador programme has the backing of well-known chefs to ensure an in-depth and consistently high standard of training is given to those working in the kitchens. The same high standard is seen in the education given to those working front of house in The Clink Restaurants.
He joins fellow group ambassadors Albert Roux, group chef ambassador and Vic Laws, group restaurant ambassador, to improve the charity’s training offering.
With three prisoner training restaurants currently in operation and a fourth due to open at HMP Styal in Cheshire in 2015, The Clink concept is expanding across Her Majesty’s Prison Estate.
With The Clink Gardens at HMP Send and Clink Events, the event catering branch of The Clink, the charity is over half way to its goal of having 10 training projects running by the end of 2017.
To find out more about The Clink Charity and its prisoner training initiatives and for information about getting involved, visit www.theclinkcharity.org.