The money made from the sales of the coffee will then be pumped into local communities to help reduce levels of homelessness.
Russell Blake, managing director for hospitals and senior living at Compass Group UK & Ireland – Healthcare, said: “This is a pioneering social enterprise and we’re excited to be able to support it at Southend University Hospital.
“Compass Group UK & Ireland is part of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge, which is committing to supporting social enterprises and increasing spend with them. Compass has worked with Change Please for several years, helping 75 people out of homelessness already, so we’re thrilled to continue this partnership working in an NHS hospital.”
As part of the Change Please offer at the hospital, a new-look café has opened, providing a range of hot and cold drinks, alongside a variety of food including paninis, sandwiches and snacks, as well as fresh fruit. Compass has been working with Southend Hospital for 20 years and offers retail services alongside patient dining.
Cemal Ezel, founder and chief executive of Change Please said: “With the number of people sleeping rough in London doubling in the last five years, it’s vital that we can help as many people as possible and providing award winning coffee at Southend will help us do this. It’s simple: the more coffee we can sell, the more people we can train as baristas, helping to get them off the streets.”
Originally launched in London, the organisation began life by training homeless people to serve its coffee, in the process helping to get them off the streets. It has also recently been involved with initiatives to supply free coffee to NHS Nightingale hospital workers.