Who we are

Leaps & Grounds is a social enterprise coffee project from the British Red Cross that helps craft the careers of refugee women.

Through a blend of professional barista training, paid work experience, and 1-2-1 mentoring, our ‘Leapers’ gain the experience they need to help break down the barriers to employment they face in the UK.

Our associate coffee partners, Caravan Coffee Roasters, train each of our Leapers with the skills they need to work at our sites alongside our experienced Supervisor Baristas, as well as supplying us with our coffee beans.



We currently have two sites in operation – one in Moorgate, Central London, and one in Brixton, South London.

Map showing two London locations of Leaps & Grounds. One at the British Red Cross office in Moorgate, and another in Pop Brixton.

Leaps & Grounds locations (Credit : Google Maps)

The Journey

  1. Leapers are referred to our programme – either through our internal Refugee Services, external organisations, or through word of mouth.
  2. Training with our associate coffee partners, Caravan Coffee Roasters, giving our Leapers the skills they need to confidently begin making and serving speciality coffee.
  3. Paid work experience at one of our sites in Moorgate or Brixton begins, allowing our Leapers to develop their soft and hard skills with our Supervisor Baristas.
  4. Leapers are matched with a mentor to develop personal and professional goals, working together to define their next steps after leaving our programme.
  5. Our Leapers finish their paid work experience, but continue to work with their mentors for another month.

The Need 

  • 103 million – the estimated number of displaced people worldwide. (2022, UNHCR)
  • 43% – the number of people seeking asylum in the UK who were women and children. (2020, BRC) 
  • 20 years – the average number of years it takes refugees to attain an employment rate similar to that of native-born populations (OECD, 2019)