The Inner Wheel Club of
Cuckfield & Lindfield

President's Charity for the year 2012/13:
The Clink Restaurant

The aim of The Clink Charity is to reduce re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and placing graduates upon their release into the hospitality industry.

The charity represents a genuine opportunity for change, offering prisoners the chance to gain food preparation, food service and cleaning qualifications as well as experience within an exciting, operational business and in-depth guidance to find full-time employment within the hospitality industry upon release. The Clink Charity operates the Clink Restaurant in collaboration with HMP High Down, the Prison Service and the Ministry of Justice and is looking to develop The Clink concept in other prisons throughout the UK, as well as in external public locations.

The issue of re-offending has become one of the most pressing challenges facing society today. 49% of prisoners released in the UK re-offend within the first year and for those who serve sentences under 12 months this increases to 61%. It is now recognised that the record levels of inmates in prison is not helping to reduce crime.

The aim of The Clink Charity is to reduce re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and placing graduates upon their release into the hospitality industry. Once released prisoners are placed into the ex-offender career mentoring scheme supported and run with the help of hospitality education charity Springboard.

As part of the programme graduates receive dedicated support from their mentor to seek full-time employment within the hospitality sector as well as help to secure accommodation, obtain financial help, open a bank account and anything else to ease their reintegration back into society.

85 prisoners have been or are currently being trained in The Clink Restaurant to date 25 have successfully been released into full time employment