Cheshire businesses offer ex-offenders a fresh start

Eleven ex-offenders in Cheshire have now been offered the chance to make a fresh start, thanks to a new scheme that aims to cut the cycle of re-offending in the county.

Just three months after the launch of ‘Fresh Start’, an initiative led by Dan Price, Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, the first cohort of ex-offenders are settling into their new roles.

Chester Zoo is among several employers opening their doors to ex-offenders in Cheshire providing meaningful, sustained employment.

The Fresh Start initiative aims to place 100 ex-offenders into work before September 2026, partnering with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Probation Service and specialist provider Tempus Novo who support both the ex-offender and the business. 

Since the pilot launched in September, Probation has referred more than 100 ex-offenders into the scheme and 11 individuals have now job secured positions in customer relations and warehousing in Cheshire, with a further four placements in the pipeline.

Employment - alongside stable housing and supportive relationships - is one of the most effective ways to help someone to stop re-offending.

PCC Dan Price said:

“Fresh Start is more than an employment programme. It is a practical way to cut crime in our County. Together with businesses, public services and our communities, we are creating sustainable career options and reshaping lives. When we offer a second chance, people take it, and Cheshire becomes safer, stronger and fairer for everyone.”

Jamie Christon DL, Chief Executive Officer, Chester Zoo said:

“Chester Zoo is proud to have been part of the Fresh Start project from day one and in support of the work the Police and Crime Commissioner is doing. As a major employer in Cheshire and with a wide variety of skilled careers, we will continue to act as a gateway to jobs for those in our community ready to seek employment.”

Valdemar Wawrosz and Steve Freer, co-founders of Tempus Novo, said:

“This pilot offers the criminal justice system something genuinely different – a proven, practical model that reduces crime while directly supporting Cheshire businesses and the wider economy. Dan Price understands business and recognises a model that works. With patience, realism and a clear-long term view, this approach can be scaled sustainably across other counties.”

In March 2025, Dan Price held a launch event with Cheshire businesses and stakeholders announcing his vision for this project. As a result, a number of Cheshire businesses signed up to the scheme and more have signed up since.

Additional information about the Fresh Start programme can be found at: 

www.cheshire-pcc.gob.uk/what-the-commissioner-does/police-and-crime-plan/reducing-crime/ex-offenders-into-work/

More information about the PCC can be found at: 

www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk

More information about Tempus Novo can be found at: 

www.tempusnovo.org

Pictured - Dan Price, Cheshire PCC held a meeting attended by Lord Timpson to prospective businesses interested in the offering.