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Grounds for Celebration as IQL partners with Change Please

A coffee-based social enterprise that provides barista training and jobs for the homeless is now serving up lattes, flat whites, and americanos to the members of Workable; a brand-new shared workspace at International Quarter London. 

The Change Please initiative was launched in 2015, providing jobs, training, and access to housing for those in the local homeless community. Starting out with a single coffee cart in Covent Garden, they now operate at 14 locations across London and put 100 per cent of their profits into helping to alleviate homelessness.

The average Londoner treats themselves to two cups of coffee every single day, and the latest Change Please location is the café within a new shared workspace initiative in the heart of International Quarter London called Workable. 

Workable offers a range of individual and group workspaces, break-out areas, meeting rooms and event space, complete with spectacular views and the latest technologies to support flexible working. The workspace also provides mentoring programmes to help young businesses grow, and with Stratford Underground and Stratford International stations a five-minute walk away, it is one of London’s best-connected shared workspaces.

Workable is part of International Quarter London (IQL), a £2.4billion joint venture development between Lendlease and LCR, to create a vibrant new neighbourhood at the heart of Stratford that brings together new homes, offices, and a diverse mix of shops.

Andrew Tobin, Project Director of IQL for Lendlease commented: 

“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.”

Julian Burnham, Managing Director at Change Please, said: 

“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.”

 Adrian Lee, Development Director at LCR, said: 

“We’re delighted to be welcoming Change Please to IQL and supporting their mission to transform the lives of people experiencing homelessness in London. They’re another example of the unique operators we’re welcoming to IQL, forming a key part of our efforts to create an inclusive and diverse destination to live, work and play, and establish a sense of community and place.”

Nash Bond and CF Commercial represented IQL, Change Please dealt direct.