To create an environment where people in prison and those at risk of offending are given the skills, qualifications and support necessary to become valued members of society.
To reduce reoffending by training and rehabilitating people in prison, as well as addressing the early causes of offending.
The Clink Charity is a national rehabilitation charity, providing training opportunities and rehabilitation support to two groups: people in prison and those who could be at risk of offending.
Through our training projects inside and outside of prisons, we create an environment where our students can develop new skills, interact with the public and access the support they need to successfully reintegrate into society on release.
We operate restaurants that are open to the public, training kitchens within prisons, horticulture programmes in prison gardens, an events catering social enterprise, a premium catering delivery service and an artisan bakery.
In 2025, we will also launch The Clink Training Café, a community-focused training environment specifically for young people who could be at risk of offending and need a helping hand to find their path.
With prisons at capacity and rehabilitation projects high on the agenda, our work is crucial and needed more than ever.
OUR VISION: OUR MISSION:
A VERY WARM WELCOME TO THE CLINK CHARITY’S 2024 IMPACT REPORT.
It is a huge privilege to take the reins of this wonderful organisation and I would like to start by thanking Yvonne and the entire Clink staff for all of the fantastic achievements in this document.
I am so excited to lead the team who deliver our programmes in and outside of the prison estate, to work with industry champions in hospitality and horticulture who support our graduates, and to ensure that The Clink contributes to the national debate on prison reform and rehabilitation.
What is immediately clear from reading this report is the determination to succeed in a very difficult environment and to offer second chances, training and rehabilitation support for people who could be at their lowest point. The experiences I have had in my career to date have taught me that very often there is talent hidden in the most unlikely places. Unfortunately, the opportunity to develop that talent is not always forthcoming and I am so passionate to help our students discover their true worth.
Reflecting on 2024, despite a challenging year we have much to be positive about, much to look forward to and much to do. Prisons are not easy places to train people and, given the circumstances the prison estate faced last year, which were well publicised, we encountered significant challenges. Despite this, we trained nearly 800 people and delivered over 650 NVQ qualifications. In addition, our social enterprise, Clink Events, delivered 28,500 training hours for potentially vulnerable adults and catered for over 36,000 people at 218 events throughout the year. Across 2023-24, 63% of supported graduates (206 of 329) have been placed into, or are working towards, employment.
Last year was highly significant for The Clink as we launched a permanent training facility in Herne Hill, South London, formally opened by Lord James Timpson in November. Having this base means we now have the flexibility to train more people on temporary licence and we can cater for even more events.
As part of this expansion, in early 2025 we will be opening a training environment for young people in London who could be at risk of entering the criminal justice system. There, we will be offering multiple hospitality training courses designed to give young people a taster of the types of careers they could develop in the industry – and provide them with a supportive and secure community to meet like-minded people at the same time. There are challenges ahead, but with your support I am confident we can meet them head on and achieve our mission.
Thank you for all you do.
- Donna-Marie Edmonds, Chief Executive
Trained almost 800 people
Delivered over 650 NVQ qualifications
Delivered over 26,400 training hours for vulnerable adults
Catered at 218 events for over 36,000 people
Released 159 students and provided them with rehabilitation support
Across 2023/2024, 63% of supported graduates (206 of 329) have been placed into, or are working towards employment
STUDENTS TRAINED BY OPERATION
27
Opened one new training centre in South London
32
Events
452
Opened The Clink Training Café in South London
41 Other projects
42
Gardens
167
Restaurants
Clink
Clink Bakery
Clink
Clink
Clink Kitchens
Current prison population (projected to rise to over 105,000 by 2029)
42% OF ALL PEOPLE IN PRISON
Have been excluded from school, but 1% of the general population have been excluded from school
In custody are care experienced
Of children reoffend within 12 months of release from secure institutions
The annual cost of putting a young person in a Young Offenders Institute
The highest reoffending rate amongst young people aged 10-17
Is the approximate annual cost of keeping one adult in prison for one year
The annual cost of re-offending
Of people who have left prison reoffend within nine years of release
Reoffend within the first twelve months
Of prison sentences are for six months or less
Rate of imprisonment in all of Western Europe
Gender breakdown
THE CLINK CHARITY – OUR HISTORY
The Clink Charity was founded in 2009.
Since then, we have grown to become one of the UK’s leading prison rehabilitation and prevention charities.
We believe there is fellowship in food and, since our inception, we have trained approximately 5,000 people and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications.
AT THE CLINK CHARITY, OUR WORK IS SPLIT INTO THREE PILLARS:
PROVIDING TRAINING, QUALIFICATIONS AND REAL-LIFE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE TO OUR STUDENTS
Creating an environment where people in prison and those at risk of offending are given the skills, qualifications and support to succeed.
OFFERING SUPPORT AND MENTORING SERVICES
Working in partnership with our students, acting on their specific needs, and empowering them to recover and resettle.
REDUCING REOFFENDING
Partnering with our national network of employers and charities, we help our students to rebuild their lives and reduce reoffending – for example, by gaining employment.
CASE STUDY - ZOE
When I was young, I had a pretty normal upbringing with my sister Tia. Family holidays, presents at Christmas, that sort of thing.
After 13 years my parents divorced and my mum got together with someone else. He changed my mum’s life and got her addicted to heroin.
It wasn’t nice seeing my mum on drugs. I had to look after my sister when she was little and I made sure she went to school on time, dressed nice and clean.
I was only young myself - I think I was about 12 or 13.
I didn’t get on with my mum’s new boyfriend because he was horrible to my mum.
As I grew older I decided I couldn’t live there any longer so I moved out and lived with my nana and my dad.
A couple of years after that I met my partner, the father of my children, who I was with for 13 years. This led me to selling drugs – he showed me how it worked and we ended up doing it together.
I thought it was a normal lifestyle I was living.
The reason why I did this is because I wanted to make a better life for my children.
I was sentenced to three years at HMP Styal.
ON DAY ONE, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF: “ZOE THIS IS YOUR HOME FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS”, SO I KEPT MY HEAD DOWN AND PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD MAKE THE BEST OF MY TIME THERE.”
When I was admitted at Styal, I suffered badly from poor mental health, so I started doing art as a peer mentor. It was a good way of helping other people in similar situations.
The prison asked me if I wanted to relocate and start working at The Clink in their restaurant. At first, I thought I couldn’t do it, but I remembered my promise to myself and decided to grab the chance with both hands.
This was the start of my journey with The Clink.
The Clink gave me the best support and training while I was there. The staff and the chefs were so supportive and genuinely wanted the best for us all.
I passed my City & Guilds Commis Chef Level 2, along with a barista course and many other qualifications. I had so much great support from Evie, who is a support worker at The Clink. I still spend time with Evie now I’ve left Styal.
If it wasn’t for my journey at The Clink, I wouldn’t be where I am now. They offered me the chance to do an apprenticeship. Again, my first thought was that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I grabbed the chance and, after a year of study, I’m nearly finished.
They helped me get a job working at a great restaurant in Wilmslow, near Styal. I love working there and everyone I work with is very supportive.
The next step of my journey is to pick up more qualifications, more experience and keep progressing, knowing that I am capable of great things.
OUR INFLUENCE - AWARD WINS, PRESS, PR & EVENTS
AWARD WINS IN 2024:
• City AM Heart of the City Award
• Cheshire Restaurant of the Year (Styal)
• Inspire Justice Awards
PRESS AND PR:
• City AM Heart of the City Award
• Gold Accreditation and AA Rosette
• Institute of Hospitality Award
CLINK CHARITY IMPACT –OUR SUPPORT AND MENTORING TEAM
Senior Support Worker Dian Galvin speaks about what The Clink Charity’s support and mentoring team do, and why is it so crucial to the success of the charity and the people we help.
As a team, the support and mentoring workers come from a wide variety of backgrounds which include the housing and homeless sector, prison and probation services, mental health and substance misuse services. This gives us a wealth of knowledge and experience which we share with each other daily.
Our learners and graduates come from very complex backgrounds, often with years of trauma which is undiagnosed or untreated. This is usually what has led them to the criminal justice system in the first place.
As support workers, we look at the whole person, almost like a jigsaw puzzle to see what pieces can be used in our strengths-based approach to recovery and resettlement and what pieces need replacing with healthier coping strategies. No one piece exists in isolation but only as part of the bigger picture and every person is different.
In my time at The Clink, I have supported graduates with benefits and budgeting, shopping, accessing recovery services, physical and mental health appointments, building bridges with family members, attending social services for access to their children, referring to MARAC (multi-agency risk assessment conference) when risks were identified around domestic violence and setting up
a new (their first) home. We partner with other agencies like probation, courts, police, health visitors, women’s refuge, housing and local authorities. Recently, I have been a marriage counsellor, prenatal partner, pastoral care, personal assistant and general advocate – to say we wear many hats is an understatement.
The challenges of our role will vary depending on the client, the location, the prison and the offence. The systems which affect us all are the lack of communication between agencies, great work is happening everywhere, but it occurs in silos.
The prison exists in its bubble and the community does the same. Certain organisations have a time restriction on the support they offer, and we are the only ones left in a lot of cases.
Our ultimate goal is to help people to live crimefree lives and be part of society. If someone was in active addiction which was funded by offending and we support them to get into a stable recovery, then how amazing is that not only for them but for their families also.
Being a support worker is both extremely challenging and hugely rewarding. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
THE PROBLEM WITH PRISON
The problems with the prison system have been well-documented over the last year and hit crisis point in 2024, with the system at capacity and the government resorting to releasing people in prison early to relieve pressure.
“The number of men, women and children sent to prison has more than doubled over the last three decades. Although most spend less than a year inside, this comes at a terrible cost to the taxpayer, society and communities. Reoffending on release creates ever more victims of crime.”
- The Howard League
“We’re addicted to sentencing, we’re addicted to punishment. So many of the people in prison in my view shouldn’t be there. A lot should but a lot shouldn’t, and they’re there for far too long.”
- Lord James Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending
‘‘ProBono Economics calculates that for every £1 invested, The Clink’s integrated training and support programme has the potential to deliver a return of £4.80 to society.’’
- Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary
CASE STUDY – NATTY
On the 17 August 2021, I walked out of HMP Brixton with a set of goals and ambitions for how my new life was going to be. During my extended holiday in Brixton, it was like the penny finally dropped. This was my last and final call to wake up, leave my dodgy ways behind, and stand up to be counted.
I started culinary school at Lewisham College. And at first, it wasn’t because I wanted to be a chef - I just wanted to keep my family off my back. Having been diagnosed with ADHD from a young age, I always found it incredibly hard to focus. But when I saw the chaos of the kitchen, the constant movement, the intensity—I immediately fell in love with it. And that’s when my passion was born.
My first professional kitchen job after leaving college was at Oblix, a restaurant in The Shard, where I spent four years honing my craft and, most importantly, staying out of trouble. Cooking transformed my life. It opened my eyes to different perspectives, different cultures, different foods, and a completely different outlook on what I wanted to achieve.
Being the only young black chef in such a high-pressure kitchen, where I had a lot of responsibility, came with its own set of challenges. There was this underlying tone of racist remarks and general stereotyping that constantly flew around the kitchen. Colleagues would say stupid things like, “I bet you know someone who’s been stabbed,” or “When’s the last time you bumped into Stormzy? I know that’s one of your bredrins.” This was the start of me falling out of love with the thing I enjoyed most.
As my passion and drive started to fade, I found myself getting involved in things I shouldn’t have. I spiralled out of control, and it all came to a climax when I was arrested for possession with intent to supply. Getting sentenced to five years, serving two and a half, I knew my life would change forever. And I know this might sound crazy—but I needed jail to finally wake up and realise that I was better than this.
I decided to live by the mindset of “embrace what you can’t change” and tackle every challenge head-on. I had my plan: get to Brixton, get to The Clink, and find some normality within the chaos of incarceration. And that’s exactly what I did. Making the best out of a bad situation helped make my time inside a lot more bearable. Having that structure helped me—days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months.
Cooking on social media had always been a dream of mine. But growing up where I came from, it wasn’t cool to put yourself out there. It wasn’t cool to show personality. It wasn’t cool to be a chef. But I always knew that one day, I could do it. And while I was inside, I saw that everyone was now making cooking content videos. That reignited the fire in my belly. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew I was going to make it happen.
TAKING THAT INITIAL JUMP WAS SCARY. I DOUBTED MYSELF. BUT FROM THE MOMENT I DROPPED MY FIRST VIDEO ON APRIL 4TH, 2022 - IT WENT COMPLETELY VIRAL.AND NATTY CAN COOK WAS BORN.
Fast forward just under three years—I’ve done things I could only have dreamed of. Cooking for celebrities, hosting over nine sold-out supper clubs, and finally securing a residency at The Greyhound Pub for the last five months, trying to change the Caribbean food scene that we all love so much into something more refined, more sexy - and eventually, aiming to gain a Michelin star.
I’m not saying this journey has been easy. There are days when I feel flat, unmotivated—especially when I’m financing everything myself. But I guess you wouldn’t appreciate success without the struggles.
I have aspirations of creating a system to take on ex-prisoners who want to enter the hospitality industry and giving them the second chance they deserve. I know firsthand how hard it is to start again. I want to be a role model for young men who feel like they don’t have a way out. I want to influence the mandem to stop whatever silliness they’re doing and try to make it out lidge—legitimately.
I’m not saying it’ll be easy. But I promise you—it’ll be worth it.
ACROSS THE CHARITY SNAPSHOTS:
THE CLINK CHARITY:
Most significantly, in 2024 we unveiled the new home of The Clink Charity in Herne Hill, South London. This will enable us to train more people on day release from prison, as well as young people who could be at risk of offending.
We were honoured to be joined by Lord James Timpson, who formally opened the facility in November 2024, alongside a group of funders, ambassadors and supporters.
In addition to training nearly 800 people, delivering 650 NVQ qualifications and managing the release of over 150 of our students, we also trained our first apprentices in partnership with HiT Training – the first time ever these have been delivered through a combination of in and outside prison training.
CLINK RESTAURANTS – BRIXTON, STYAL AND
HIGH DOWN
Brixton and Styal performed well in 2024, and our restaurant in HMP High Down successfully converted to a staff restaurant open to the public for group bookings. 167 people in prison benefited from our training and support in these projects including our first two apprentices at HMP Styal.
We have always aspired to the highest standards of training and delivery and decided to formally benchmark our standards against those of the best Hospitality Colleges in the UK by way of applying for the AA Training College Rosette assessment.
In a full AA Rosette assessment process, our restaurant at HMP Brixton was rated at the highest level – Highly Commended – which was a fantastic tribute to our training staff and our students.
We retained our Trip Advisor “Traveller’s Choice” ratings for the third year running, meaning our restaurants are rated in the top 10% worldwide. We hosted several high-profile events in the restaurants during the year including an evening with Sacha Lord at Styal, and a celebratory 10th anniversary dinner at Brixton which was attended by past graduates, staff, supporters and BBC Five Live’s Adrian Chiles.
Additionally at Styal, we hosted our first-ever community open day and the restaurant was voted the best in Cheshire by readers of Cheshire Life Magazine.
Finally, we took part in our third Unlocking Hospitality campaign in partnership with New Futures Network, part of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, running employer-focused events at HMP Brixton, Styal and High Down.
CLINK GARDENS
Our Clink Gardens at HMP Send continued to be a true flagship project supporting more than 30 women in the mainstream horticultural qualifications and continuing to work with women who face particular challenges in our Plot to Plate programme.
Plot to Plate specifically targets individuals who are classed as non-engagers. Those that generally slip through the system due to their complex and varying needs.
Plot to Plate enables individuals to be tutored on a one-to-one basis, using horticulture as a subject matter to form a program of engagement that targets the individual and progresses at their own pace. It has helped to put confidence, self-respect and belief back into those that traditionally have been exposed to lifelong abuse, mental health and social and societal problems.
We were so proud to win Guildford in Bloom Best Neighbourhood Project for the second year running, which is a real testament to the skill and dedication of our students. In addition, we continue to have a really positive working relationship with RHS Wisley.
Finally, we were delighted to receive grant support this year from the Julia Rausing Trust for a new Clink Garden which will open at HMP Erlestoke in Spring 2025.
CLINK KITCHENS
Our Clink Kitchens project continued to have a major impact with 452 students trained in the year and 378 City & Guilds NVQs awarded to those students.
Unfortunately, the ending of the generous charitable funding we received to operate Clink Kitchens has necessitated the programme’s closure.
We had hoped to replace this funding via the Prison Education Service, but this was not possible due to procurement delays.
Clink Kitchens was the first national programme of its type across the prison estate and at its height occupied 40 prisons, training people of different sentence lengths. It provided a wide range of different qualifications. It was partially disrupted by the early release schemes, with students being moved frequently or released early.
The impact we managed to achieve under these circumstances was remarkable, and we continue to work with students who have been, or are due to be, released this year.
We will publish an impact report on the programme during 2025.
CLINK BAKERY
Our Clink Bakery at HMP Brixton continued to flourish in its second full year of operation. 23 students were in training during the year with 6 completing their NVQ Level 2 Patisserie qualification. Following the success of the Clink Christmas hampers in 2023, Christmas 2024 saw the bakery prepare and dispatch 350 hampers and 7,000 mince pies to some very happy customers.
In addition, the Bakery continues to enjoy a really positive working relationship with HMP Brixton, having launched a service enabling prisoners there to receive internal orders from friends and family members on the outside.
In 2025, we will be launching an online retail platform, allowing anyone to purchase goods from the Bakery and support our students.
We would particularly like to acknowledge the generous support of the Savoy Educational Trust, who supported the Clink Bakery when our public sector funding expired.
CLINK EVENTS AND CATERED BY CLINK
Clink Events continued its success and growth and is now established as one of London’s very best event caterers. It offers spectacular food and event design in some of London’s most iconic venues, such as the Guildhall, Cutty Sark and St Paul’s Cathedral.
In 2024, Clink Events served 35,000 guests, catered at 218 events, and added the prestigious Indigo O2 Arena and Thames Distillers to an already impressive list of accredited venue partners.
We continue to train and employ women from HMP Downview in our production kitchen on site, with 25 women trained in 2024, attaining 31 City & Guilds NVQ qualifications.
Clink Events is unique in that it not only trains prisoners on day release, but also young people who could be at risk of offending.
In 2023 it was our intention to build a new production kitchen to train and employ people leaving prison and to increase our production and training capacity. We opened this new facility in August 2024 and now run with two production kitchens, increasing our training and events capacity.
Clink Events also had its first 6 young people attain their Institute of Hospitality Introduction to Events Certification.
OUR VENUE PARTNERS
CASE STUDY – BEN
I was sentenced to 1 year at Guildford Crown Court for dangerous driving, possession of a class A drug and possession of a bladed article. I was taken to HMP High Down in Surrey - I live in Devon, but I was arrested in Surrey so that was where I had to serve my sentence.
Already this made it very difficult for family and friends to visit me and I only saw my family once during my sentence.
Upon arriving at HMP High Down, while I was waiting to be processed into the system, I was sat in a holding room with another 8-10 prisoners. They were all speaking to each other and all seemed to know each other. As this was my first time in prison and I had no idea what to expect, I kept quiet and tried to avoid looking at anyone as the atmosphere was quite intimidating.
After I was processed, I was taken to the induction wing and put into a cell with another prisoner. The cell was small and dirty, the toilet didn’t have a door or curtain around it either, I really felt like I had hit rock bottom at this point and wished I could have turned back time.
My first night’s sleep was very uncomfortable, there was constant noise on the wing and the beds are not fit for purpose. I wasn’t made to get a job or find a course to do, I was locked up 23 hours a day and sometimes could only get a shower once a week.
After a month or so, I accepted my new reality and started becoming more social on the wing, then after a couple months I managed to get a job at The Clink.
Although it didn’t take away the fact I was still in prison, once I started working there I felt more of a sense of normality because it gave me structure to my day, getting up in the morning, going to work for the day in the restaurant and going back to my cell (home) in the evening.
‘‘I ACTUALLY
REALLY ENJOYED
WORKING THERE’’
I had a Clink Charity support worker that would see me once a week to see how I was getting on, help me with any issues I had and prepared me for release.
The Clink gave me purpose and something to work towards rather than just being thrown into a cell and have the door closed for the next 6 months. When I was released in September 2019 I was given £56 and was expected to find my own way back to Devon from Surrey with no driving license for my first probation appointment by 2pm that day. Luckily at the time my mum was able to pick me up and take me otherwise I’m not sure what I would have done,
Not long after release, Covid happened and I was left in a difficult position as I lived in a rural area with no income, no job, no driving license and no idea what to do next. I somehow then managed to meet my now wife and we set up a small fast food takeaway business from home with help from the qualifications and training I received while working at The Clink.
This helped us financially and lead us into being more recognised. We now work at local festivals every year.
My overall experience with the prison system itself is that it could and should be so much better focused on rehabilitation. I felt like I was put into a cell and left to think about what I had done; I didn’t feel like I was there to be rehabilitated into a better person and I can see why people reoffend because you have no support from the prison system when you are in there, or when you are released.
However, when I was working with The Clink, my views completely changed. I had people that wanted to and did help me, and still 5 years on continue to help me now. I couldn’t be more grateful for the help I was given by The Clink.
