ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

ECJ editor Michelle Marshall spends some time with NGB Clean, a social enterprise in London delivering commercial cleaning to corporate clients across the city while employing people who have been in the prison system. The charity No Going Back (NGB) from which it was founded is dedicated to supporting people released from prison in finding work across various sector. And it’s encouraging other cleaning businesses to get involved.

FOR PEOPLE LEAVING PRISON, the path to rebuilding a life is rarely straightforward. Securing stable housing, gaining employment and navigating the basic structures of daily life - such as setting up a bank account or finding transport - can be enormously problematic. The cleaning and FM sector, often overlooked in discussions about rehabilitation, is proving to be a meaningful entry point for those ready to turn their lives around.

Bounce Back - a pioneering charity and social enterprise in the UK committed to breaking the cycle of re-offending through employment initiatives - was founded by Francesca Findlater OBE. The organisation is dedicated to supporting individuals inside and outside of prison who are at risk of or have a history of offending and substance misuse. It focuses on empowering people to turn their lives around, reduce reoffending and contribute to society.

No Going Back (NGB) is a charitable initiative created by the 42 Livery Companies of the City of London that supports people released from prison in finding work across various sectors including built environment, HGV/driving, hospitality, sales, admin and engineering. This work begins when the person is still in prison and continues on release, with wraparound support, help with CV writing and general life skills for example.

Recognising the growing need for structured opportunities in cleaning, NGB established a social enterprise in 2024: NGB Clean. The business delivers commercial cleaning to corporate clients across London, while employing people with lived experience of the justice system and others with challenging backgrounds. All profits are reinvested into the charity’s wider work.

“The key objective for us in establishing the social enterprise was to ensure that all profits generated by NGB Clean go back into No Going Back, to enable it to carry on its work,” says Sam Worden, chief operating officer. “We’re running a commercial business, but with a clear social mission.”

Since she joined the business Worden has fast-tracked the process of identifying potential new recruits for NGB Clean from among prison leavers by visiting prisons in and around London to speak directly to small groups and highlight to them the career opportunities within the cleaning sector. One key area of interest she very quickly identified was bio-hazard work. “I discovered that many prisoners are already regularly engaged in bio-hazard cleaning because they have to tackle it in prison. That means they have already undergone the necessary training.

“At the same time, we realised there is a massive gap in the market for accredited bio-hazard cleaning because literally anybody can do it – with no official training – and it's completely unregulated. It’s an area with huge potential for somebody leaving prison with the right qualifications to set up their own operation offering the service - with the right support and back-up of course.”

Inside HMP Downview

At HMP Downview, a women’s prison in Surrey, a group of inmates gather for a workshop led by Worden. The aim is to introduce them to the opportunities within the cleaning and FM sector - roles many have never considered. At the outset, interest is minimal.

But when Worden explains the potential earnings in biohazard cleaning, the atmosphere changes. “Biohazard cleaning is the best-paid job inside the prison, and the best-paid outside too,” she tells them. This simple, direct message resonates. The women begin to ask questions, moving from disengagement to curiosity.

Michael MacFarlane, who manages cleaning operations and training within the prison, oversees both hygiene standards and the training of inmates. The women are responsible for cleaning the prison and are paid for their work.

“We keep training to the basics - colour coding, dilution rates, health and safety. Two hours can feel like an age for some of them, so we focus on short, targeted learning,” he explains. “Challenges include short attention spans, neurodivergence, low motivation and mental health concerns. But when someone connects with the work, they can develop real pride in it.”

Gary Kendall, who also works at HMP Downview, manages engagement with businesses. He explains: “There are great examples of success stories, especially in hospitality and cleaning. Companies are becoming more creative in their recruitment. Open prisons allow day release for work - and that’s where some of the most meaningful progress happens.”

His role ends at the prison gate, where the Department for Work and Pensions takes over, but the foundation laid inside is critical. “The prison offers the gateway to opportunities in employment and education,” he says. “It’s the first step in the transition.

“Ex-offenders can be the most committed employees - they stay longer and they’re so reliable. The transition from prison to employment can be difficult but it’s worth sticking with.”

HMP Brixton

At HMP Brixton, a men’s prison in south London, another group gathers voluntarily to take part in a similar workshop. Initial reactions are mixed: some are sceptical, others quiet, one man makes it clear he does not want to stay there. The atmosphere is cautious.

Sam Worden opens with a short overview of NGB and NGB Clean and what they can offer. She speaks about the realities of leaving prison - the barriers people face and the kind of work available in the cleaning sector. Her honest and warm approach very quickly brings everybody round, until there’s a group of engaged, interested people around the table..

Gradually, the men begin to talk. Some have been in and out of prison for years. They speak about the everyday obstacles they encounter on release: homelessness, delays in accessing benefits, opening a bank account, mental health issues.

The obstacles are numerous and complex. Institutionalisation is also a theme; for many, prison is the only structured environment they’ve known. What’s clear though is that these are men who really want to turn their lives around – they just need the right kind of guidance and support to get there.

The most inspiring part of the workshop is when Mosiah Polidore tells them his story - that’s when I really see the men engage and respond. The power of the story from a man who has been there, who knows how they’re feeling and what they’re facing, cannot be underestimated.

He recalls meeting Sam Worden while working in The Clink restaurant at Brixton Prison and being encouraged to attend a day visit to NGB Clean after his release. That was a turning point in his life and career. Hearing about his trajectory - from prison to running a viable cleaning business - sparks genuine interest in the room.

And afterwards they’re keen to talk to him to get more information on his company and how he got to where he is. The men begin to imagine a different future.

This was a room full of positive interaction, humour and hope - and it felt very poignant. The feedback from the group was that this session gave them a reason to feel positive about life. And they appreciated being spoken to like a human being again, and being asked what they wanted for their own future.

Mosiah Polidore tells me more about his journey. His company Stainless London began before his prison sentence, originally offering carpet cleaning services. While he was inside, his business partner kept operations going and a new opportunity emerged when a fellow inmate introduced him to someone with links to nurseries and schools on the outside. This led to deep-cleaning contracts for schools, a children’s home and housing associations.

Following his release, his connection to NGB Clean proved pivotal. “When I first left prison, I was waiting to see where the next job would come from - but now we’re really in demand,” he says. “We do end-of-tenancy cleans, ad hoc estate agent jobs, and we have a waste truck now. That goes hand in hand with our cleaning services.”

He credits NGB Clean with helping him move into biohazard cleaning. After completing an initial training course while still in custody, he later joined a more advanced course run by the enterprise after his release.

“Sam Worden has always been supportive. She’s there with advice and she finds us work, especially in biohazard. It’s specialist work, and there’s a real market for it.” Stainless London now employs six people on a regular basis, but growth brings its own challenges. “The hardest part for me is managing people - keeping standards high and making sure the team stays professional. I’m learning every day.”

Polidore is also committed to giving back. He now supports NGB’s work by speaking at workshops and mentoring others. “If they see someone who’s been where they are, it really does lift people. It makes them listen. And it’s therapy for me too.”

He remains grounded about the realities of running a small business. “Financially, I’m not where I want to be yet. But I’m busy, and that’s rewarding. My life now is so much better than it was two years ago.”

Holistic approach

What are the biggest challenges facing those leaving prison in trying to re-establish a life on the outside? Worden replies: “It’s important to recognise an average of 800 people per month go straight from prison into homelessness.” (Nacro, a national social justice charity and not-for-profit training provider in England and Wales, analysed Ministry of Justice data in compiling its figures)

“So prison leavers are facing the question of where they will live, and under what restrictions (if they are on licence for example). Some are living in bail hostels, which are not always the most pleasant environments, with no place to call home. If they are on housing benefit but then have the responsibility of paying rent when they find a job, living independently and holding down that job can be very problematic.”

Worden adds: “Those are just the practical aspects of integrating back into society on release from prison. Then, of course, there are the emotional and psychological challenges being faced by many people. A significant percentage of them face mental health issues and neurodivergent conditions.” In fact the UK government estimates that up to half of the adult prison population could be neurodivergent.

So taking all these factors into account, it’s important for potential employers to make adequate provision for prison leavers entering their workforce. “We must help prison leavers to succeed rather than just provide employment,” Worden explains. “Don’t set people up to fail. Be flexible in how people are integrated into the business, with taster days for example, because you just don’t know the private challenges they may be facing every single day.”

Ride, Recycle, Repeat

NGB Clean is also engaging with environmental sustainability. The Ride, Recycle, Repeat initiative was launched to divert used bicycle tyres and inner tubes from landfill. Worden noticed that many office bike stores were full of discarded materials going to waste.

The scheme, which started at LinkedIn’s London headquarters, sees NGB Clean collecting worn tyres and tubes for recycling through a national network run by waste partner Velorim. The project now operates across multiple sites in London.

“It’s a small idea with a big impact,” says Worden. “It raises money for the foundation, reduces waste and connects us to more workplaces who want to support social and environmental change.”

Get involved

Worden is keen for more businesses in the cleaning and FM sector to get involved in employing people who have left prison. “We’re not asking for charity - we’re offering trained, motivated workers. But it takes commitment. If you’re willing to offer someone a second chance, the rewards are huge.”

She believes the cleaning sector is particularly well-suited to employing prison leavers. “It’s accessible, practical and offers real career progression. Many already have some skills - they just need an opportunity.”

With a turnover of around £500,000 and a team of 10–15, NGB Clean is proving that a business with a social conscience can also be commercially sustainable.

Worden concludes: “You cannot overestimate the impact on people’s lives you could have,” she says. “It is a huge responsibility - that’s true -  and it must be taken seriously, however it can be so incredibly rewarding when you see what a huge difference you can make.”