Attention foodies! Manchester charity needs YOU!

Manchester charity Back on Track are looking for people with food skills to help run their centre cafe. The café, Swan Kitchens, is staffed by people who are getting their lives back together after going through homelessness, addiction, offending and mental health problems. Since it launched just over a year ago it has sold thousands of low cost, healthy meals to people on low incomes.

Since April 2016 the cafe has also provided catering to local charities and businesses, including Citizens’ Advice, the National Autistic Society and a group visiting from the House of Commons. All profits the café makes are reinvested into Back on Track services for disadvantaged people.

The main aim of the cafe is to give disadvantaged people the chance to get new skills and crucial work experience. So far members of the café team have moved into paid jobs with a wide range of employers, including the Midland Hotel, Manchester City FC and several local cafes.

Several local enterprises have lent their expertise to the project, including Honest Crust Pizza – rated one of the best pizza restaurants in Manchester – which recently held a pop-up workshop at Back on Track.

The charity now urgently need skilled volunteers to support people in the kitchen and help run the business side. Experience in catering is preferred, but training will be provided. You need to be able to offer at least one full day a week.

Rachel Gilkes, Back on Track’s Enterprise Coordinator, says ‘This is a chance to make a real, lasting difference, using your skills to change people’s lives. And the cake’s great too!’

You can find out more at a special ‘afternoon tea’ information event on Friday 10 March, from 1-3pm at Back on Track’s centre in the Northern Quarter – 4^th Floor, 20 Swan Street, Manchester M4 5JW. Back on Track’s famous cakes will be served!

If you can’t make the event email rachel.gilkes@backontrackmanchester.org.uk to find out how to get involved.

About Back on Track

Back on Track is a Manchester charity that enables disadvantaged adults to make lasting, positive changes in their lives. Formed in 1977, today we run a learning centre in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. We work with adults who have been through problems with alcohol or drugs, offending, homelessness and mental health. Our training, wellbeing, work experience and volunteering projects enable 1000+ people a year to build the skills they need to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. We run a catering social enterprise, which includes an on-site cafe and external catering operation. This gives disadvantaged people the skills and experience they need to overcome barriers and move into work.