The Hospitality Against Homeless Campaign aims to bring together the hospitality industry in a focused effort to provide immediate support to homeless people across London which includes fellow hospitality industry colleagues in crisis with meals, kitchen facilities/equipment and accommodation.
At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Only A Pavement Away had two choices, stand back or step in to help – the choice was simple, we had to ensure our members didn’t fall back into destitution. We immediately set up an emergency pay gap fund to help bridge the 20% furlough pay gap for members as well as offering support to any member/non-member facing financial hardship, to help pay their rent and living expenses- and this support is ongoing.
However as the crisis unfolded, we started to see a rise in enquiries asking if OAPA could help in providing meals to homeless people across London. This was followed by a recent shocking report by The Guardian showing a surge in numbers of hospitality workers forced onto the streets due to job losses. In response, we set about introducing our hospitality employer partners with those charities looking to supply meals to the homeless and the response has been overwhelming.
In April 2020, amidst the chaos and closures caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, we were approached by a small charity in Pimlico asking if we could help provide meals to 9 homeless people in a hostel without cooking facilities, for 2 weeks. OAPA CEO, Greg Mangham immediately sprung into action putting a call out to his network within the hospitality industry and the team at Yummy Pub Co generously stepped forward to offer their support.
From then, the need started to grow first from 9 to 18 and then from 75 to 150 people receiving 3 meals a day. Over the 15 weeks of the first lockdown in 2020, we helped coordinate the distribution of 55,000 meals, 110,000 drinks, 86,000 snacks and 2,000 Easter Eggs! – across various homelessness services in London including the GLA hostels and to our members in lockdown who were self isolating.
OAPA CEO, Greg Mangham said, “We as an industry must be able to do something. Businesses are struggling now to survive, but what we have got are kitchens, we’ve got people on furlough who want to volunteer… to help these people on the street we need the food, the kitchen, the premises and the volunteers.”
He added: “These are our people and it’s preventative. If we can keep these people fed, watered, warm, they will come back to our industry when we’re ready to launch again rather than ending up in a doorway.”
Since its launch on 30th April 2020, the Hospitality Against Homelessness Campaign has received significant and generous support from a wide range of suppliers and companies including Yummy Pub Co., Paul Pavli, Emdad Rahman, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and The Strand Palace Hotel team, who have been storing food donations, cooking meals and has sourced a team of volunteers to distribute them to those in need. In the first week of May 2020, The Thomas Franks Foundation joined the Campaign contributing to the project by donating 2000 meals, as well as 25 microwaves, to ensure that those who have been placed into hostels have some form of cooking facilities.
As the lockdowns continued throughout 2020 and into 2021, we are proud to announce that the campaign has received and distributed over £1 million worth of donated food, drinks, clothing and essential living items to many hundreds of people facing and experiencing homelessness across London, Norfolk, Brighton, Manchester and more recently, Edinburgh.
We are thrilled to also have the support of one of the UK’s most acclaimed and inspirational chefs, Tom Aikens as an Ambassador. In the Summer of 2020, Tom teamed up with us to launch a fundraising campaign to support the Campaign, the ‘Tom Aikens Charity Cooking Challenge’. The initiative saw over 200 participants cook a meal in 5 minutes, donate £5, nominate 5 friends to pass on the challenge, and share their videos to social media – we raised an incredible £5,000 in support of the campaign.
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As London was plunged into Tier 3 this week, giving the hospitality industry just two days’ notice to prepare for closure, Gaucho and M restaurants organised two charity initiatives with their long-term partner Only A Pavement Away as well as City Harvest
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We are delighted to announce that our Hospitality Against Homelessness campaign has been recognised at the 2020 British Institute of Innkeeping National Innovation Awards winning the “Hospitality Support Programme” Award.
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Hospitality charity Only A Pavement Away has raised £3,000 since launching the ‘Tom Aikens Charity Cookery Challenge’ fundraising initiative earlier this month. The challenge was launched following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, which has resulted in roughly 500...
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Over the Rainbow Challenge A HUGE thank you to our friends Craft Union Pub Company and to everyone who took part in the recent #overtherainbow challenge organised by #fionapatterson and which has to date raised an amazing £1,501 for #onlyapavementaway...
READ MOREWe’re proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with only a pavement away with the launch of the hospitality vs homelessness initiative supporting people made homeless by the covid-19 pandemic, including many hospitality workers. Our combined expertise and support network means that we can offer vital help to those who have fallen on the hardest of times removing them from what can be a hostile environment and getting them back on their feet again and ready to be part of our industry’s recovery
Mark Lewis Chief Executive, Hospitality Action
The guys at King George’s are enjoying the meals themselves, and one resident in particular (LN) wished to pass on his appreciation for the food. I think because it’s more “hearty” meals, they’re going down well here. And the packaging of them is beautiful!
Rosie Butt Regional Services Manager, SHO
Asahi has been marketing and distributing its unique Super Premium Beer portfolio in the UK since 2005. We value highly our place in the local community and want to ensure that we make an effective contribution to society as a whole. Our employees engage in volunteering, mentoring and fundraising to support our local communities. We are proud to support Only a Pavement Away, which we believe will make a positive impact to the lives of vulnerable people and the hospitality industry.
http://uk.asahibeer.co.uk/welcome/
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) champions issues that matter to the beer and pub industry. These are causes our members are passionate about: whether that’s promoting beer as the nation’s drink, or lobbying against increases in beer duty and businesses rates that are so damaging to community pubs.
Our members are responsible for 90% of beer brewed in Britain today and we represent around 20,000 of the country’s pubs. They include international companies, family brewers, managed locals and the nation’s largest tenanted pub estates. It’s a diverse group but we are passionate about representing, supporting and campaigning for the interests of the beer and pub sector.
The BBPA is now more than 100 years old, having been founded in 1904, we have a unique identity and a powerful voice which we use to influence public opinion, in the interests of our members.
Experience Curators is a new venture founded by Ainara Mateu. We are a very small team of creative minds passionate about delivering unique food and drink concepts and memorable hospitality experiences.
Our backgrounds in design, luxury hospitality and event production is extensive, with more than 30 years’ experience between us, and our goal is simple: to deliver memorable moments around food, drink, music, art and the finer things in life.
Our clients include luxury hotels, top restaurants, unique art galleries and event spaces, exquisite vineyards and creative property developers who strive to create unique hospitality concepts and leisure destinations. We are currently working with clients in London, Kent and Barcelona and welcome fresh opportunities further afield.
www.experiencecurators.com
Grunwerg is a family business. We are an award winning supplier, specialising in premium stainless steel products, including cutlery and other housewares items to the catering and retail sectors. We are pleased to support your fundraising efforts towards helping those in need within our industry at this particular time.
www.grunwerg.com
Pasta Remoli, founded by Simone Remoli, produce homemade pasta and sauces fresh every day in their 4 London based restaurants and the same high quality pasta and sauces can be enjoyed at home via their home delivery service. Their pasta is made with genuine Italian eggs and flour, and lots of love course.
Business owners and the Directors and Managers of UK Hospitality Companies, struggling to keep their businesses afloat due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, can now enjoy a 3 month payment free period* with Rerusni. Rerusni is offering 15 months’ business insurance with nothing to pay for the first three months of the policy. You can then pay in 12 monthly instalments, interest free, from month 4.
SISU are passionate specialists who understand the importance of equity and pride themselves on their personal approach and creativity.
Passionate about people and the power of people; visionaries, Olajide Alabi and Louisa Davies, have launched a Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing consultancy to ensure Equality, Inclusion and Diversity practices become second nature to businesses and their employees with dedicated guidance, training programmes and resourceful data packs based on a business’s specific needs.
SISU was born from a true passion and belief that there can never be too many people fighting for equality, educating on inclusion and celebrating wellbeing in the workplace.
SISU believe companies need to monitor diversity and inclusion as they would for any other key performance indicator in the business. One of SISU’s main objectives is to embed these practices. SISU plans on doing this by offering services including Unconscious Bias Workshops, Diversity & Inclusion Audits, evaluation of Communications Strategy, Disability Schemes and Audits, Training solutions, Wellbeing Awareness Training, advice on building Employee Networks and so much more. Sisu is not a momentary courage, but the ability to sustain that courage.
Olajide & Louisa are dedicated to making a difference in the workplace for millions of people in the UK, to ensure that people like us feel comfortable, happy, valued and have a sense of belonging.
To find out more visit www.thisissisu.co.uk
Embodying five-star luxury with an independent spirit, our award-winning, family-run hotel is located in the heart of Mayfair, opposite Royal Green Park. Our rooms, suites and residences epitomise our proud heritage, championing bespoke British craftsmanship with a nod to Art Deco roots. With dining options including modern, seasonal dishes and decadent afternoon tea, The Athenaeum captures a quintessential spirit of the city.
Founded in on the principles of honesty, trust and loyalty. Our clients define our business and we support them by creating exceptional food and brilliant service with our family of creative and dedicated staff.
We are the unique contract caterer, focusing on food, people, creativity and finance. This approach allows us to offer a bespoke service which focuses on great food, locally sourced ingredients and exceptional service from our amazing teams. We tailor design catering for businesses headquarters, independent schools and private members clubs as well as special events and fine dining services all to suit our clients style and needs.
During this Covid-19, we refocussed our values with the aim to feed and support those in need. Our focus is; compassion, community feeding, supporting our NHS, key workers, staff retention, future proofing and return, renew, resume.
Hospitality, bar work, pubs, they are not just a job because you can’t do what you want to do, or studied to do, they offer one of the most wonderful career opportunities in the country. Did you know that hospitality is the 3rd largest employer in the UK with 2.9 million careers!!! I know…..
So, great chat, but what do we do that others don’t?
Well, the three guys that own the business are in the business every day of the week. That might be behind a laptop as I am now designing this website, or sitting in an accounts meeting or mentoring one of the team in a 121 session or indeed, it has been known on the rare occasion you’ll find us wiping down tables, pouring pints & decoding plates in kitchens. Our approach to our business is simple, it’s ours, we created it. Born from some savings, a s£@t tonne of passion, a number of credit cards & we’ve built it into one of the most admired mini mults in the business. If we have to scrub out toilets, we will.
You’ll see a number of different roles advertised below. As much as we don’t put square pegs into round holes, we also don’t have a one fit solution for our roles. You will have key responsibilities, but you’ll be part of our team, if plates need running, you’ll run them. If chefs need help, you’ll help. Not only does it offer fantastic diversity to the business, it develops you at pace, you are not a number in Yummy, you are the fabric of our offer.
Want to read more or check out our approach to training? http://www.yummycollection.co.uk to find out more
