Greene King has invested in two new training kitchens aimed at preparing more than 60 individuals leaving prison each year for employment opportunities.

The pub company and brewer is set to open training kitchens at HMP Onley in collaboration with New Futures Network and at HMP Perth in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service and Perth and Kinross Council.

This initiative supports the group’s commitment to hire 400 prison leavers by the end of 2025 as part of its Releasing Potential program.

The kitchens will provide up to 60 prisoners annually with the opportunity to build skills ranging from food preparation to customer service, with the goal of securing a position at Greene King upon release.

Greene King also operates prison kitchen programs at HMP Thameside and HMP Grampian in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the Scottish Prison Service, Aberdeen City Council, New Futures Network, and Novus.

Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, said: “The opening of our two new training kitchens in HMP Onley and HMP Perth is a really important part of our continued commitment to offering opportunities to everybody, regardless of their background. With pubs at the heart of local communities across the country, we are in a unique position to provide a range of jobs nationwide.

“The new kitchens are a vital next step in our Releasing Potential programme that is helping to provide prison leavers with the employment and skills they need to build long-term careers in hospitality and successfully rehabilitate. I’d like to thank to all of those who have worked hard behind the scenes in making this possible and I look forward to welcoming more candidates to the Greene King family thanks to the academies and programmes.”