About Only A Pavement Away

ONLY A PAVEMENT AWAY is a charity founded by representatives from the hospitality industry who believe that everyone deserves the chance to find and forge a career. Our aim is to act as a conduit to employment to help those people struggling to get into work, overcome hurdles by finding jobs within the hospitality, pub and restaurant industry, whilst negating the need for people to face an existence of living on the streets.

Our Mission.

Creating an effective conduit between employers in the hospitality industry and those charities whose main aim is to support the homeless, ex-offenders and vulnerable veterans reintegrate back into society

Our Values.

It is crucial to the hospitality industry and those that are vulnerable in our society for us to grow as an organisation. We must ensure that those within the hospitality industry, the political hierarchy, charities and our customers understand the contribution and impact Only A Pavement Away will have. Our values will shape our behaviour, integrity and ultimately what we achieve. Our values have been designed to relate to all those involved in Only A Pavement Away

The objectives.

  • Act as a conduit between the charities/associations and the hospitality industry.
  • Look to support those in vulnerable situations by opening up employment opportunities, facilitating a route into work which was previously seen as prohibitive.
  • Ease the transition into work for those involved in the Only A Pavement Away project by creating a collaborative approach between the applicant and the employer.
  • Provide training & development for applicants enabling them to be more work ready.

Only A Pavement Away Timeline

  • September 2017

    A Breakfast Meeting

    In late September 2017, a breakfast meeting was held with representatives of the hospitality industry to discuss the merits and intricacies of setting up Only A Pavement Away.

  • March 2018

    Decision to proceed and set up a charity

  • Sept 2018

    GJM closes down his consultancy in order to focus on OAPA full time

  • Oct 2018

    Charity officially launched in House of Commons by Heather Wheeler the Homeless Minister

  • XXX 2019

    First Relationship Mgr appointed

  • March 2019

    OAPA hold their first Conference

    Guest speakers from Homeless charities, Custodial system including Justice Secretary, Veterans charities & industry leaders from hospitality

  • July 2019

    Launch of the first Fill A Flask campaign

    4000 thermal flasks given out by 50 volunteers across 4 cities to those sleeping rough. Campaign financed by the industry

  • November 2019

    Launch of Winter Warmth campaign

    £57k of top quality winter clothing, sleeping bags, blankets given out across 4 cities by 40 volunteers

  • January 2020

    First Cook & Dine is held at Freemasons Hall

    With 60 volunteers serving 260 guests. Menu designed & delivered by the Tom Kerridge team. All products, venue donated FOC

  • March 2020

    Total of 68 people placed into work with high retention levels

  • March 2020

    Pay Gap Fund set up in order to raise money to support Members cover their missing 20% pay

  • March 2020

    Hospitality Against Homelessness campaign

    In initial4 months £300k of food & drink distributed to the homeless in London. All products donated by suppliers. 40000 meals, 75000 drinks, 82000 snacks

  • May 2020

    Tom Aikens Charity Cookery Challenge launched

    All proceeds go to supporting hospitality workers now facing homelessness & destitution. To end of June 150 recipes & videos now collected

  • June 2020

    Tom Aikens announced as Ambassador for OAPA

Our Leadership Team

The Team at Only A Pavement Away is made up of Trustees and Advisors all of whom bring a wealth and diverse experience to the table. The Team work closely together with the sole aim of developing OAPA in order to help more vulnerable people find employment and thereby reintegrate back into society.