Coffee Brand That Helps The Homeless Hits The Streets

If you do buy a coffee today, you should probably make it this one.

A new brand called Change Please coffee is available from eight carts across London and its proceeds go to a worthy cause.

The brand is backed by The Big Issue magazine and its coffee is sold by people who used to be homeless.

The coffee is available in areas such as Covent Garden and Borough today and will be rolled out across London over the next month.

The Change Please baristas will be paid the London living wage, which will allow them to develop the skills they need to enter the mainstream workforce after six months.

Six staff will be making and selling the £2.50 cups of coffee from the three-wheeled vans, doubling to 12 as the month progresses.

Cemal Ezel, co-founder of Old Spike Roastery, which is partnering the scheme, said Change Please will give former homeless people a chance at a new career.

“We promise one of the best cups of coffee you’ll find, but even better, we guarantee that this programme will make a significant contribution to helping alleviate the homeless problem across the country,” he said.

“If we can get a small proportion of coffee drinkers to simply change where they buy their coffee, we really could change the world.

“By providing both a job and housing we are immediately lifting people out of homelessness.”

After six months, Change Please will liaise with firms in the food, legal and banking sectors to try to find permanent work for the baristas.

For more information, go to www.changeplease.org

(Pictures: PA)