We at the Enterprise & Training team took responsibility for Providence Row Bakery, a wholesale operation that had been running for the past two years, at this point. We thought that it was a great setup; selling cakes wholesale to local cafes. There have been some amazing results with the trainees we involved too; we worked with 30 clients, supporting many of these into work and training.

This programme provided us with great foundations on which to build. We knew that the concept of a social enterprise bakery was sound, and had a few brilliant weeks of thinking of all the directions which we could take it.

Our team has had incredible results in the past few years. As well as coming second in the London Homelessness Awards (and collecting it from the Houses of Parliament in the process), we have won a Social Justice Award from the Centre for Social Justice and a Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award for the support and training we offer people who have experienced homelessness. Last year alone we worked with 121 clients, working with them to achieve 29 job starts and training outcomes.