A social enterprise that brews, bakes, and creates inclusive community hospitality venues to help turn lives around for prisoners and prison leavers through direct employment and advocacy. To date they have created more than 85,000 hours of paid employment for prisoners on day release from prison (Release On Temporary Licence) and prison leavers.
Having a job helps to build self-confidence and resilience, and leaves people better equipped to lead a productive and happy life. This in turn reduces reoffending and prevents victimisation.
In this episode Matthew Shaw is joined by Brian Spencer of Tap Social Movement and they discuss the project in depth. Listen now.
According to data collected by the Guardian and Liberty Investigates (via the Freedom of Information Act), black men are 26% more likely to be remanded in custody than white men. On average, they also spend 70% longer in prison awaiting trial and sentencing than their white counterparts... and yet they are 14% more likely to be acquitted at trial than white people (8%).
This is one of many issues that tips the scales in the UK's criminal justice system when it comes to race, and it's the focus of the first collaboration between ourselves and Oxford-based social enterprise, craft brewery, and hospitality organisation Tap Social Movement.
Founded in 2016, Tap Social provides training and meaningful employment for prisoners and prison leavers. To date it has created more than 85,000 hours of paid work for leavers, with roughly one-third of its current team across its brewery and Oxfordshire hospitality venues having come in contact with the UK's criminal justice system. It has earned several awards over the years, most recently the "Empowering People" award at the SIBA Business Awards 2024 and "Business of the Year" at the Oxfordshire Business Awards 2024
To celebrate the release of Tips the Scales -- a 5.2% Hazy Pale generously hopped with El Dorado, Citra, and Azacca -- Brewing Folk host Matthew Shaw sat down with Tap Social Marketing Manager Brian Spencer to discuss Tap Social's mission, ethos, and the numerous obstacles leavers face in the UK.