Coffee-based social enterprise expands into shared workspace at £2.4bn development

A coffee-based social enterprise that provides barista training and jobs for the homeless has launched in a new shared workspace at International Quarter London (IQL).

Change Please has opened its latest cafe in the new Workable space in the heart of IQL, a £2.4bn joint venture mixed-use development between Lendlease and LCR in Stratford.

The firm, which started out with a single coffee cart in Covent Garden in 2015, has grown to operate in 14 locations across London.

Julian Burnham, managing director at Change Please, commented: “We believe the coffee industry has the power to change lives – since launching in 2015 we have helped over 175 people with support or training and 72 with employment as baristas.

“Partnerships with companies like Lendlease provide a huge boost to our efforts and we look forward to providing everyone at Workable with great coffee that truly makes a difference.”

Andrew Tobin, project director of IQL for Lendlease, added: “Generating a positive social and economic impact is a key part of the ethos at Lendlease – we aim to support economic prosperity and enhance community inclusion within all of our developments.

“Workable at IQL is the perfect opportunity to partner with Change Please, and we are proud that they will be the café operators at our new shared workspace, providing high-quality coffee and helping London’s homeless community.”