By the end of 2021, as many as 25 prisons will be working in partnership with The Clink Kitchens Integrated Training Programme.
Robert Richardson FIH, chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said: “The Institute has supported The Clink Charity since its launch and commends their hospitality training programmes for the quality of their content and delivery and for the valuable contribution that this training provides to the graduates as they embark on the next stage of their lives.”
Over the last decade The Clink has already helped over 2,500 offenders into employment and the expansion of the scheme is expected to help a further 2,000 achieve this. The Justice Data Lab states that a Clink Graduate is 65.6% less likely to reoffend, having trained at The Clink while inside prison.
Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL FIH, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality who is also the group chef ambassador of The Clink Charity added: “The Clink Charity has done a stunning job to secure the fulsome backing of Her Majesty’s Prison Service to the expansion of The Clink Kitchens programme across England and Wales. This is great news for the hospitality industry.
“By continuing to subject their training programmes to the Institute of Hospitality’s rigorous standards, The Clink is ensuring that students receive the quality preparation they need and deserve to be able to find suitable employment in an industry crying out for talent. This is a situation where everybody stands to gain.”