Inmates at a London prison are to learn coffee-making skills to help find employment upon release.
Opening at HMP Brixton, south London, the new Bad Boys’ Bakery café will be staffed by around six serving prisoners, who will learn how to prepare and serve coffee to the public.
Opening in the coming weeks, the café is an extension to the Bad Boy’s Bakery, established as part of Channel 4’s 2012 series Gordon Behind Bars, with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Hosted in the visitors’ centre of the prison, the café will provide branded bakery items such as fresh sandwiches, snacks and hot and cold drinks.
Aoibheann Callely, food production manager at the Bad Boys’ Bakery, said: “The new café will provide individuals with the opportunity to learn barista skills. We are also going to offer a tailored customer service award to give individuals the skills needed in a customer-focused environment, such as how to handle cash and speak to customers, which we hope will further their potential and help them find a job on release from prison.”
In February this year, former inmate Chris McKay revealed he was expanding his bakery business with additional London market stalls, having learnt his skills as part of the scheme.
His first stall in Brixton market launched last December, with help from organisations Working Links and Sola Outreach. Purchasing products from the bakery at wholesale prices, the stall sells on average 100 items each Saturday.
Items produced by the prison bakery include lemon treacle slice, carrot cake loaf, banana bread, chocolate pecan nut brownie, as well as white and wholemeal bloomers, bread buns and scones.
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