The Clink Charity

Reducing reoffending

The Clink Charity delivers training and support into employment for people in and leaving prison, and young people who risk entering prison. Their mission is to reduce reoffending. Training is provided in over 30 sites across the UK including 3 restaurants; kitchens, bakeries and gardens within prisons; and an events business. Clink support graduates from their training schemes from 3 months pre release to 12 months after, to help them into accommodation and employment and a stable life without reoffending. Trainees work towards City and Guild NVQ’s in food related disciplines and horticulture certified training.

How The Clink makes an impact

In 2023 Clink trained 830 students and awarded 550 qualifications. 170 students were released with 52% going into employment and a further 24% working towards employment. Their latest data shows a 65.6% reduced chance of a Clink graduate reoffending.

 

Where Frederick’s comes in

The Clink wanted to expand their successful events business with a second events training and delivery kitchen located outside of a prison. Being outside the gate will allow Clink to train more people released on temporary license (ROTL), employ their own graduates, and offer apprenticeships to people at risk of entering prison, or who have left prison without access to training. Clink were looking to fund this expansion through a mix of grant and social investment. Fredericks were able to mobilise £200,000 of funding (25% of the total requirement) through a £50,000 revenue participation agreement and £150,000 blended finance from the Thrive Together Fund (£37.5k grant/ £112.5k loan). We have invested alongside a grant from Garfield Weston and social investment from Treebeard, and Barrow Cadbury.

 


It was an absolute pleasure working with the Fredericks Foundation team, who assessed our application quickly, enabling us to progress conversations with other investors and, ultimately, move forward with our project in a timely manner. This year is set to be a very exciting one for The Clink Charity as we commission a second events training and delivery kitchen located outside of a prison. Being outside the gate will allow us to train more people released on temporary license (ROTL), employ our own graduates, and offer training to young people at risk of entering prison, or who have left prison without access to training.

Yvonne Thomas, CEO