A coffee cart project devised to help people leaving prison find their place back in the community has scooped a prestigious award.
Coffee Connexions, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) delivered in partnership by Dorset HealthCare and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, has earned the High Sheriff of Dorset Award for helping to bring about some “remarkable transformations”.
The coffee cart is run by STRIVE (Support, Treatment, Risk Management, Identity, Values and Enabling), the Trust’s offender personality disorder service. The service provides supported, work-based training and placements for people coming out of prison, offering a vital bridge between custody and employment in the community.
STRIVE gives individuals, who are facing mental health challenges, the opportunity to work for the café, which operates from Poole Probation Office. They make and serve the coffee, while learning valuable customer service and teamwork skills on the job.
The High Sheriff award recognises its outstanding contribution to rehabilitation, community safety and social inclusion across the county. It also acknowledges the significant impact Coffee Connexions has had on people facing complex challenges as they transition from prison back into the community.
Hannah Jenner, occupational therapist for STRIVE, said:
“The first few months following release from prison are widely recognised as a high-risk period. Without structure, purpose or the right support, individuals are more likely to disengage, reoffend or return to unsafe coping strategies. For those who have spent years in custody, the transition to community life can feel chaotic, isolating and overwhelming.
“While the coffee matters, the mission goes far beyond what’s served in a cup. Coffee Connexions focuses on developing transferable work skills while fostering structure, self-worth and community connection. By feeling seen, supported and valued, people are better placed to succeed in the long term. This initiative has had a positive and lasting effect on trainees’ resettlement journeys.”
On presenting the award to the Coffee Connexions team, Callum Bremner, High Sheriff of Dorset, said:
“The café offers something simple yet profoundly important – a place to belong, a role to take pride in, and a reason to believe in a better future.
“By learning barista skills, customer service, teamwork and responsibility, participants gain far more than technical ability. They gain confidence, self-worth, and a renewed sense of purpose. They build routines, learn reliability and experience what it means to contribute positively to their community.
“It shows us that when we invest in people, when we give them opportunity and trust, remarkable transformations can occur.”
The STRIVE team was presented the award at Poole Probation Office, where the Coffee Connexions café is located. It’s not currently open to the public, only people visiting the probation office, but coffee beans can be purchased from the team to help support the work it does. Visit www.coffee-connexions.org for more information.
