24.01.2025

Sodexo and Bruntwood SciTech celebrate Change Please Academy success

Sodexo and Bruntwood SciTech, a client of Sodexo’s Corporate Services division, hosted a celebration day to mark the success of its Change Please Academy at Manchester Science Park.
 
Change Please is an award-winning social enterprise that aims to end homelessness through the power of employment and great tasting coffee. By reinvesting 100% of its profits into training individuals as baristas, providing them with housing, therapy and onward employment opportunities, Change Please has demonstrated a tangible impact on communities.

Sodexo partnered with Change Please in 2017 and today its coffee is served at a multitude of Sodexo client sites. 

The celebration held on Friday 17 January, showcased the achievements of the seven individuals who have participated in the programme, providing them with the skills, confidence and support to transform their lives.

On the day, graduates and partners, including Sodexo UK & Ireland’s Director of Social Impact, Angela Halliday, shared powerful stories, highlighting the programme’s success in creating meaningful change.
 
In April 2023 Sodexo and Bruntwood SciTech launched the Change Please Academy at Manchester Science Park. Seven individuals from the local community, experiencing homelessness, are presently on placement, or have completed their training as baristas through the academy.
 
The success of the Manchester academy has inspired Bruntwood SciTech and Change Please to explore opportunities to replicate the model at other sites, furthering its commitment to empowering local communities.
 
Bethany Adam, Head of Purpose and Impact for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the Change Please Academy going from strength to strength at Manchester Science Park. The programme now supports local people into employment, perfectly aligning Bruntwood SciTech's commitment to supporting local communities, socially and economically. Our team is thrilled to be involved in a project with such a positive impact."
 
Ken Love, Managing Director of Change Please, added: “This celebration highlights the incredible impact the Change Please Academy has had on individuals’ lives. At Manchester Science Park, we’ve seen people regain their confidence, develop valuable skills, and take the first steps toward a brighter future. This partnership with Sodexo and Bruntwood SciTech is a shining example of how collaboration can create meaningful change, and we’re excited about the potential to replicate this success at other sites across the UK.”

The partnership with Change Please is just one example of Sodexo’s commitment to driving social impact across the communities it serves. Through its Social Impact Pledge Sodexo has committed to do all it can to actively promote social mobility across its business and support disadvantaged groups in finding employment opportunities.
 
Angela Halliday, Director of Social Impact, Sodexo UK & Ireland added: “We are delighted to see the positive impact of the Change Please Academy at Bruntwood SciTech’s Manchester Science Park. As a purpose led business, we are proud to work with Change Please and support it in its mission to tackle homelessness through providing meaningful employment opportunities and positively contributing to society and improving the communities in which we live and work.”
 
During the celebration day two of the individuals who have been through the academy were present. A case study on one of these can be found below.

Sodexo’s Corporate Services business delivers workplace services, facilities management and food services to some of the world’s most recognisable brands. Its teams have expertise operating across a range of different environments in the corporate sector, including headquarters, regional offices, data centres, manufacturing centres and research and development hubs, in sectors as diverse as professional services, financial services, pharmaceuticals, media and technology.

Case Study: meet one of the trainees:

Ibithaj is a Change Please graduate and refugee from Sudan. She is a former teacher who fled her country and experienced homelessness upon arriving in the UK. With support from Manchester City Council and the Mustard Tree, she found stability and enrolled in community and ESOL classes.

She completed a 12-week placement at Manchester Science Park, gaining confidence and new skills through the Change Please programme. She now actively volunteers at the Mustard Tree, utilising her barista skills in their cafe.

Ibtihaj, added: “The training with Change Please was great, I had a lot of fun. It helped me with my language and working at Manchester Science Park’s cafe allowed me to meet new people and the team made it very easy for me, I would recommend it.”

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