Only a Pavement Away believes with the right levels of funding, it can scale services to support 9,250 people by 2029, with a cumulative investment of around £473m added to the UK economy.

The charity, which connects employers in the hospitality industry and charities working with people facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans, has currently placed 450 into employment to date.

This would add £12.8m to the UK economy through reduced government support, financial independence, and increased household expenditure, according to the organisation’s 2024 Impact Report.

The charity’s employment programme works with hospitality employers and referral charity partners to place individuals in employment, as well as aiding their training and development, and offering additional financial support to overcome barriers to employment.

Since 2018, £51,000 of financial grants have been awarded to help members sustain employment, with an annual average increasing to around £30,000 per year.

The learning and development programmes offered by the charity include a Passport 2 Employment scheme and Employability Skills Workshops.

The report reveals that 1,600 people have attended a training or workshop sessions.

Currently, over 107 hospitality businesses are working with Only A Pavement Away, alongside 219 selected referral partners.

The organisation was founded by Greg and Gill Mangham, who believe that everyone deserves the chance of a brighter future, irrespective of their current circumstances.

They noticed that at the same time, the hospitality sector was facing a recruitment crisis, and it seemed only sensible to combine these needs.

“Our charity offers a simple concept that provides people with new skills and life changing opportunities, while also fulfilling a crucial recruitment requirement within the hospitality industry,” said Mangham.

Over the next six years it is estimated that there will be around 1.3million vacancies in the sector. At the same time, the number of people who are facing or are at risk of becoming homeless, is rising.

Currently, 60% of members stay in employment for longer than 1 year, while the average length of service is 38 weeks

“Once our members are employed, we have a strong retention rate,” said Mangham.

At the moment, the charity is seeing individual advocates at individual businesses, but stressed that 10% of operators were helping around 50% of members to get into work.

“It is our collective responsibility”, Mangham told MCA, adding that he believes there is “still a bit of stigma” around employing those from prison service, homelessness and veteran backgrounds.

Mangham’s call to hospitality business leaders; “Step forward and give someone a chance”, “And fund us!” he adds.

“Imagine if we got another five hundred people into work this year”, he said.