About us

Mission Statement

Values

Coffee4Craig is a Manchester based homeless charity facilitating a safe space, a sense of belonging and the opportunity to recuperate.

1.  Connection

We build a community through sharing resources,  knowledge and learning from each other to grow stronger together. 

2. Empowerment

We partner with our guests to unlock their potential and build brighter futures.

3. Individuality 

We acknowledge what makes each person individual and find creative ways to support their path forward. Every journey is unique. We meet people where they are, not where we think they should be.

4.  Trust 

We strive to create honest and trusting relationships built on integrity and mutual respect that is earned not taken for granted.We build a community through sharing resources,  knowledge and learning from each other to grow stronger together. 

Meet the team

✸

Meet the team ✸

Smiling woman hiking on a trail with a backpack, wearing a cap and glasses.

  • Risha is the beating heart of the team, feisty, passionate,  classic ADHD'r and always up to something!! She's a live wire this one, but is actually quite shy, has impostor syndrome and prefers being outside in the garden on her own to a room full of people. 

    When Risha is not applying her skills to homelessness in Manchester she is an avid fan of womens football and supports the Manchester United Women's team up and down the country with Hendrix

Person wearing a large, decorative hat with outstretched arms, standing in front of a dark background, with two other people in the background, one holding a microphone.

  • Bez has been the C4C patron and proud supporter since 2014. In our opinion he never gets enough credit for what a kind man he is!

    He genuinely cares about people, he goes out of his way to make people smile and would honestly give you the shirt off his back. When he's not touring, goggle box'n or DJ'ing he can be found bee keeping, honey collecting and growing food.

    He's our Bez't mate and all round superstar! 

    Photography by Cheryl Atkinson

Black and white photo of a man wearing a knit beanie and a collared shirt, looking directly at the camera.

  • Billy is the data man, he can tell you how many visited our service, who they were and knows each guest by name and probably remembers their shoe size!! He has a big heart for the work he does which is a good job as he was originally employed as a cleaner/care taker and has found his passion! 

     But he's into some very questionable music! He also has a habit of wearing odd shoes. 

A man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a T-shirt, sitting at a table, focused on a small object in his hands.

  • James is our most incredible volunteer who comes in twice a week to work with the team to help prep the food, put the stock away and he keeps us smiling.  

    James is also a TikTok star with his attempt at being the first Worlds Strongest Man with autisim. He can currently lift 250lb We have zero doubts that he can do it!! You should see how quickly he can carry the deliveries up the stairs! James is our superstar!! 

Black and white close-up photo of a smiling woman with dark hair and light skin.

  • Hannah started volunteering in 2016 and quickly became an integral part of the team! She has worked her way from drop-in staff, to part of the senior leadership team.  She's a guest favourite, always ready to help, especially if there is a dog involved!

     Deep thinker and devoted to her family! You can usually find Hannah wandering Market Street looking for someone to check on them. 

A female smiling with short hair, wearing a striped shirt and a necklace, in black and white.

  • Liz has volunteered with us from the beginning. We 'persuaded' her out of retirement to keep the accounts in order. She will spend hours looking for the missing 5 pence on a receipt and is always the first to say how easy it was in the age of paper forms for the TAX office and wishes we could use a double entry ledger book!! Liz also drives up and down the region collecting donations. 

     When she's not chasing receipts or collecting donations she can be found in the standing/singing section at Old Trafford.

Female wearing Disney-themed headband with large bow and Minnie Mouse ears, smiling at a theme park.

  • Marie arrived along with Sam on the first street kitchen in 2014. She is always there ready to greet our guests with a smile and will do whatever is needed to make the drop-in run smoothly. She's a dedicated member of the team who will roll her sleeves up, rope her kids in and get involved in any fundraising activity. A fan of snow globes and is usually found changing the TV channel to F.R.I.E.N.D.S although we're not really sure if she is more Phoebe or Monica?  

Illustration of a large bee flying over a cityscape with black, white, and yellow colors.

  • We have an incredible board of trustees who each bring unique skills, diverse backgrounds and a wealth of experience in their fields, we are honoured to have each of them.  For more info or to contact our board please email:

    chairperson@coffee4craig.co.uk

Blonde female wearing a gray t-shirt and glasses painting a wall with a paint roller.

  • Sam is another member of the team who has been with us from the start. She just randomly appeared at the first street kitchen and has been appearing pretty much everyday since! She is an incredible member of the team and If she's not at work supporting our guests and helping them find their voice she's either running, riding roller coasters or planning her wedding to Robert Downy Junior.   

     She's basically a fan girl with the biggest heart! 

A man in a black chef jacket stirs a large pot of pasta sauce in a professional kitchen.

  • Ste is the newest member of the team and has already made a huge impact!

    You can find Ste banging pots together, creating the magic in the kitchen and no matter how random the foods are he always manages to create the most delicious, nutrient dense and filling meals.

    He’s an instant hit with our guests and volunteers.

A man standing on large rocks by a body of water with arms outstretched, smiling, outdoors in black and white.

  • Hendrix is at the helm of the rocky ship and the calm one in a crisis and the one to step up when it get’s tough. He is the co-founder alongside Risha and they have been inseparable for over 20 years. They even fund raise for C4C when they go on ‘holiday’ aka walking miles and miles for days on end.

    When he is not at work he can be found pottering about, walking with Biscuit (mascot) or watching his beloved Manchester United Women’s team.

Cute, fluffy dog with curly fur and a black nose, wearing a collar with a tag.

  • Biscuit is the office mascot, she owns Hendrix and is always found at his feet curled up waiting for him to move so she can follow. She loves Hendrix, chicken and going on walks with her cat, yes she has a cat called Cat and they've been together for 8 years now. She only comes to work when Hendrix is there. 

Our History js-hero-timeline

  • #ffffff

    September 2013

    September 2013 Craig died, but Coffee4Craig was born. Risha, Craig's big sister, wanted to do something to mark his life and to help others in similar situations. 

    Little did her, or her husband, Hendrix realise what they were starting would take over their lives and become their mission. ​

  • People gathered around a table distributing hot beverages, likely coffee or tea, in an outdoor setting.

    2013 - 2016

    Between 2013 and 2016 Hendrix, Risha, all the other Manchester volunteers along with Jake, Sian and the other volunteers in Cardiff were out feeding folks on the streets. They were offering conversation, food and hope to people on the streets. 

  • Three people standing together, smiling, in an indoor setting. The person in the middle is wearing a bright green shirt and has his arms around the two others, who are dressed in black and striped clothing.

    2014

    Hendrix and and Risha (C4C), Jude (Lifeshare) and Steph and Becky (RoC) & Mikey (CAN) started the Coalition Of Relief, a networking and best practise sharing space for grassroots groups.

    From the ideas and feedback from these meetings incredible city wide projects came to fruition. Projects like Real Change, The Homelessness Partnership and various other schemes. The conversations at CoR  network meetings played a part in a lot of the strategies being implemented today.  

    Notable mentions...

    Bez/Mark Berry became the C4C patron in 2014!  He has gone onto share their story on national TV, Radio and even had a stint on Mastermind to raise money.

  • Counter at a food service with white bowls, mugs, and a chalkboard menu listing shepherd's pie, jacket potato, beans, sausage, veggie pies, and toast.

    2016 - 2020....

    The move indoors

    The incredible Kate (CEO) at YPSF on Oldham Street saw something in Coffee4Craig and opened the door to us so that the street kitchen could offer more dignity.

     

    We very quickly had to go from volunteers outside on the streets to employing staff, operating a full 7 night a week drop-in and offering a more holistic service, indoors. 

    ​YPSF went on to become Centre Point. We stayed working with them up until we got our own building in 2020...

    Little did we know what was to come... (more on pandemics later)

  • A group of six young adults standing in a circle inside a room, with one person handing over a giant check to another. The background includes a blue wall and a black backdrop with white text.

    2019

    One email that changed the trajectory and led to a project changing donation (pictured) that set us on the path to being able to move into our own building, continue in the face of a pandemic and continue supporting the cities most vulnerable people.  Metallica, yes, THAT Metallica!! (All Within Your Hands Foundation) handing over the cheque for £40,000. 

  • A man working at a workstation with a large white tube and a machine in a workshop.

    2020 - 2024

    A move, a redevelopment and a pandemic…

    February 14th 2020 was the day we got the keys to our 'new' building. March 2020 brought a worldwide pandemic.

    Covid-19 hit the UK and by March 2020 we had gone into lock down. As we were already closed due to refurbishment and this gave the perfect opportunity for Risha and Hendrix to return to the front line of a crisis.

    ​Locally they supported other charities with staffing, they led from the front at the 1st 'Covid hotel' in Manchester and supported GMP (Greater Manchester Police) with vital welfare checks on the homeless community. They also supported Mustard Tree and were honoured to work alongside their team.