We are empowering Learning Disabled and Autistic adults to succeed through real-life work experience, in a comfortable and supportive environment.
Catering Skills & Teamwork
Attending our community hub or the Joint Police and Fire HQ, our members gain valuable catering skills, ranging from chopping and peeling to sandwich-making, baking, and cooking main dishes. They also take part in essential cleaning tasks, such as operating the dishwasher and maintaining clean surfaces.
Key roles within the catering team include preparing lunch for members and staff, baking cakes for sale, packaging food, and fulfilling orders for events and external catering jobs.
Additionally, our members enhance their customer service skills by interacting with Fire and police personnel and the general public, understanding their food and drink preferences, and assisting with their orders. Throughout all activities, teamwork is emphasized, encouraging members to develop their personal skills with the goal of achieving independent working.
Grow and Learn
Beyond kitchen-based work, we offer a wide range of opportunities through our Grow and Learn projects. These include workshops and vocational training activities focused on food hygiene and safety, ensuring every member is equipped with the knowledge needed to work confidently and safely in kitchen environments.
The Grow and Learn team also helps members build their social, independence, and employability skills through diverse activities such as gardening, arts and crafts, group walks, topical workshops, and exercise sessions.
In previous projects, Members have grown nutritious food in our allotments, created beautiful celebration cards with homemade seed paper, designed intricate patterned tiles, and accomplished so much more.
Our Members follow individual pathways that guide them towards their goals, and teaches through the
See It, Do It, Teach It method
Our Community Hub
The Pulp Friction Hub is based at Bestwood Park Church in Elmbridge, Bestwood, providing a welcoming space for our Members.
We begin and end each day together at our Hub, creating a strong sense of community. Our mornings start with a meeting where Members can share their news before engaging in their chosen activities. These can include participating in creative projects, tending to community gardens across Nottingham City and working the Joint Fire and Police Headquarters.
Joint Police & Fire Headquarters
Pulp Friction proudly operates the fast-paced canteen at the Joint Fire and Police Headquarters in Arnold, Nottingham.
The canteen is a busy working environment with lots of opportunities to learn and grow. With the support of experienced staff, our Members receive training in a range of catering and hospitality services. The canteen employs Members who achieve a high level of skill in food preparation and service, providing valuable opportunities for growth and professional development.
Pulp & Prints Coffee Bar
In collaboration with Footprints Cognitive Education Centre, we launched a brand new Coffee Bar in 2025: Pulp & Prints.
Ran by Pulp Friction’s Members, the Coffee Bar offers real-life work experience in a supportive and safe setting. From customer service to behind-the-scenes operations, our Members are able to develop key skills for employment and independence – all while growing in confidence and self-belief.
WHAT DOES OUR DAY LOOK LIKE?
Gardening Projects
As well as catering, our Members are able to get their hands dirty by helping with our various Gardening Projects!
Smoothie Bikes
Our Members quickly become pro-smoothie bike operators! We encourage Members to come along and help us at events, teaching the public how to blend their very own smoothies.
Outside Catering & Events
We enjoy attending a variety of events with our Members. We love being able to bring our food to different communities and meet new people!