The work, in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), will see the HMP Downview building used for Clink Events. The project will officially start training women prisoners in May.
Chris Moore, chief executive of The Clink Charity, said: “We will be training up to 30 prisoners at a time in the new central production kitchen. To date the food preparation for external events has been done through the restaurant kitchens.
“However, due to the success of the events, we now need to increase capacity to prepare food for these for events across London and the surrounding areas.”
Clink Events was launched in 2014. It offers catering services for public cocktail parties, receptions, buffets and dinners, prepared by prisoners training for their Level 2 City and Guilds NVQs in Food Safety, Food Preparation and Food and Beverage Service.
Graduates of The Clink Charity’s rehabilitation programme, in partnership with likeminded enterprises such as homeless charity Centrepoint, serve guests at the events.
The Clink Charity aims to reduce reoffending rates of ex-offenders, by boosting their confidence and aiding their employability.
The new kitchen will see approximately 50 prisoners per year gaining nationally recognised qualifications and will follow the charity’s five step rehabilitation programme (Recruit – Train – Support – Employ – Mentor).