Only A Pavement Away expands to Scotland and Manchester

By James Bayley

Published: 12 June, 2024

Only A Pavement Away, the charity dedicated to helping those facing homelessness secure employment in the hospitality sector, has announced its expansion into Scotland and Manchester. The move aligns with the charity’s broader goal of establishing a UK-wide presence.

Since its inception five years ago, the charity has helped hundreds of people into employment in London and the south of England while adding a value of £12.8m to the UK economy through reduced government support, financial independence and increased household expenditure.

Earlier this year, CEO and founder Greg Mangham visited Edinburgh and Aberdeen to explore the potential for expansion. His meetings with key stakeholders confirmed the high demand for the charity’s support in these areas. As a result, Only A Pavement Away is leveraging existing partnerships to facilitate job placements in the hospitality industry across Scotland and Manchester.

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The charity’s expansion is further supported by the addition of two new relationship managers in Manchester and one in Scotland. These roles will be crucial in providing the necessary support to a greater number of individuals facing hardship across the UK.

Additionally, the charity has launched a Learning Kitchen at HMP Grampian, aimed at equipping inmates with culinary skills for professional kitchens upon their release. This ‘Kitchen Training Academy’ is a collaborative effort between HMP Grampian and Greene King, funded by Aberdeenshire Council, with ongoing support from Only A Pavement Away.

Through this initiative, HMP Grampian and Greene King will offer training and development opportunities to inmates, with Greene King providing job opportunities post-release. Only A Pavement Away will ensure these candidates are prepared for employment and supported in their new roles through regular check-ins and continued training opportunities.

Greg Mangham, Only A Pavement Away founder and CEO said: “We are thrilled to be taking steps to broaden our network and build our incredible team, helping us to offer as much support as possible to those facing homelessness across the UK.

“Support from great referral charities and employer partners that operate in regions where we are growing our infrastructure, is vital for us to continue to offer our services to more communities.

“With this in mind, I would like to offer a big thank you to Greene King. Expanding into Scotland and Manchester is a huge moment for us, but this really is just the start. Please do get in touch if you believe you can help Only A Pavement Away.”

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