“Greg, I just wanted to take this opportunity to offer my continued support to you and to Only A Pavement Away. We first met in January 2018 and I was excited by the potential of Only A Pavement Away in providing jobs and a second chance for the homeless within the Hospitality Industry. I am delighted and excited that you then expanded your original remit to include Ex-offenders and Veterans. Only a Pavement Away is a wonderful, game-changing unitive offering hope and jobs for many of society’s often forgotten/disadvantaged, whilst providing a commercially needed new source of talent for the Hospitality Sector. Simply brilliant!” David Apparicio

Founder and CEO, Chrysalis Foundation

“I am excited and delighted that UK Hospitality will be working in partnership with Only a Pavement Away to offer real, full time job opportunities within the Hospitality Industry, to the homeless, ex-offenders and veterans. This will not only provide much needed new team members/employees for the industry, but also a helping hand to the disadvantaged which enables sustainable reintegration back into their families, local community and society as a whole.”

Kate Nicholls

CEO, UK Hospitality

“I met Greg at the start of OAPA which I recognised was an idea of its time. Subsequently he joined the Corbett Network comprising 45 rehabilitation charities with the same aim of providing jobs for ex-offenders. OAPA goes further by concentrating as well on the homeless and former veterans. I have no doubt in years to come that OAPA will have provided many hundreds of jobs to help vulnerable people rejoin society.” Lady Valerie Corbett

Organiser, Corbett Network

“OAPA works because the employers are supportive of Crisis’s work and understand the challenges our members face. Though collaborative working, OAPA has opened up a range of roles within the Hospitality sector which provide homeless members the opportunity to go back into work and take a step forward in ending their homelessness.” Dulal Ahmed

Employment Services Manager, Crisis

“We are delighted to be working with Only A Pavement Away and thoroughly believe in the benefits this will bring to many lives, as well as being thoroughly rewarding to us as a company. We are in an extremely fortunate position to be able to offer roles to people who don’t have any work experience, and we can offer a clear career pathway in our pubs. Generally this starts in junior level roles such as a Team Member or Kitchen Porter – we have many employees who started in these positions and through hard work and shear determination, they are now General Managers or Head Chefs of our pubs.

We have had five OAPA employees so far, and I am proud to say our managers have embraced the initiative and are keen to get involved, offering an opportunity to those in need. It is brilliant to have the ongoing support from Crisis who are there to help both their members and our managers in any situation where they may need support or advice. I would encourage any company to get involved and join us in making a difference!”

Abi Dunlop

Recruitment Manager, Young’s & Co.’s Brewery PLC