A new coffee kiosk at Clapham Common Underground Station is helping to change the lives of London’s homeless community

Change Please, the coffee company that trains homeless people as baristas, opened its first London Underground kiosk at Clapham Common station on Monday 12 November 2018.

According to TfL, rough-sleeping on London night buses has increased by more than 20% over the last four years as homeless individuals seek warmth and safety on TFL’s networks, and since 2010 the number of rough-sleepers in London has doubled.

Staffed by ex-homeless individuals, the kiosk doesn’t just do good (the social enterprise also arranges accommodation and provides mental wellbeing support), it also serves award-winning coffee, picking up Great Taste Awards in 2017 and 2018), meaning you won’t have to compromise on taste and quality to help make a big difference.

Local resident Michel Roux Jr at the launch of the Change Please kiosk in Clapham, alongside Change Please founder Cemal Ezel and a TfL representative

Change Please is also working with Ace of Clubs, a centre in Clapham for the homeless and vulnerable, to recruit local rough-sleepers. To further help the cause, commuters can buy £1 Ace of Clubs meal cards at the kiosk, providing a hot meal for the recipient.

‘Sadly, homeless individuals are 13% more likely to be the victims of crime and with winter approaching its understandable so many seek sanctuary across TFL’s network,’ said Cemal Ezel, founder of Change Please.

We’re so happy TFL has chosen Change Please to open at their stations, helping us fight the growing problem of homelessness

‘We’re therefore so happy TFL has chosen Change Please to open at their stations, helping us fight the growing problem of homelessness and giving commuters a way to change lives every time they buy a coffee.’

The social enterprise, which puts 100% of its profits back into its mission, has plans for several more openings. What’s more, the operation is environmentally friendly, with Rainforest Alliance accredited coffee beans and 100% compostable coffee cups.

Find out more at changeplease.org. To help the social enterprise crowd-fund to build a training academy, see community-fund.aviva.co.uk