Our Journey
"Turning Barriers into Bridges"
2017
New company is Registered
Just one person, renting a small office at Fairycroft House in Saffron Walden, Essex. Armed with her idea of employability training that was fun and educational, she took on much bigger companies to obtain county council contracts.
2018
Inclusion and Thrive course
First 12 Week Inclusion and Thrive courses run as part of the 'Building Better Opportunities' project. Commissioned by East Herts Council, these courses guided participants through learning a range of transferrable employability skills and resulted in many of them earning paid roles.
2019
First Training Academy
Our tearoom opened October 2019, in a decommissioned police station in Great Dunmow, Essex. Some participants from the I&T courses gained placements to continue their training. The Tea Leaf is forced to close on 20th March, due to the Covid 19 Lockdown.
2020
ASDAN Accreditation
ASDAN accreditation is acquired in 2020, allowing our participants to work towards officially recognised employability qualifications.
During Lockdown, the team came together to develop a new model that enabled us to operate in the same space, under new restrictions - Sandy's Diner opened 18th June 2020. The financial crisis of the period inspired our 'free meal and advice' pay-it-forward scheme, "Sandy's Special"
During Lockdown, the team came together to develop a new model that enabled us to operate in the same space, under new restrictions - Sandy's Diner opened 18th June 2020. The financial crisis of the period inspired our 'free meal and advice' pay-it-forward scheme, "Sandy's Special"
2021
We've moved!
Due to the second Covid Lockdown we were unable to immediately open our new training academy. Cafe Cornell opened 18th May 2021, before we were forced to close again, for three weeks, in December
2021
2022
#LetsEatTogether
#LetsEatTogether initiative launched to tackle social
isolation at times of
celebration, to fulfil the needs identified by by our ongoing 'Sandy's Special' project.
2023
We Won!
We were honoured by HM King Charles III and received the King's Award for Voluntary Service, the group equivalent to an MBE.
2024
Even more awards!
UDC recognised our Community Impact in their Business Awards, whilst Cambridge Regional College chose us as Apprentice Employer of the Year.
We were also shorlisted for the British Diversity Awards, and highly commended at the extremely prestigious UK Housing Awards!
2025
ECO Enterprise
In 2025, we celebrated our first year of ECO Enterprise, our new student training academy and minimal-waste refill shop.
2025 saw many progressions for our staff thorugh awards, degrees, apprentcieships and more!