At a Glance
- Tasks: Serve delicious drinks and snacks while creating a welcoming café atmosphere.
- Company: Join Freedom Leisure, a leading charitable leisure trust focused on community well-being.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible hours, discounts, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Casual hours with opportunities for career growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a positive impact in your community while gaining valuable experience.
- Qualifications: Passion for customer service; barista experience is a plus but not required.
The predicted salary is between 12.71 - 12.71 £ per hour.
Join the Energy at Freedom Leisure – Do Good Feel Good! At Freedom Leisure, we’re all about positive vibes, great people, and making a real impact. Yes, we run leisure and cultural facilities, gyms, and swimming pools—but at the heart of it all, it’s our people who make the difference.
As one of the UK’s leading charitable leisure trusts, we’re proud of our mission: Improving Lives Through Leisure. We’re here to help communities live healthier, happier lives by making our centres welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to everyone—because everyone deserves to feel good. We’re all about delivering amazing customer service with a smile—every single day. We create spaces where people feel at home, supported, and inspired. If you’re passionate about helping others and love creating great experiences, you’ll feel right at home with us.
You don’t need to be an expert to get started—we’ll give you all the training and support you need. With over 130 centres across England and Wales, there’s loads of room to grow. Many of our team have built amazing careers doing what they love, helping customers day-to-day and making people feel good - one smile at a time. We’re proud to be a workplace where everyone is welcome, valued, and supported to thrive—because when our team reflects the communities we serve, we all grow stronger together. This is your place. This is where you matter.
About the Role
We are looking for an enthusiastic, approachable, and customer-focused Catering Assistant to join our front-of-house team. In this role, you’ll be the first point of contact for our customers – providing a warm welcome, delivering excellent service in our café. If you enjoy working with people and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we’d love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and serve hot and cold drinks, including barista-style coffee
- Offer a range of light snacks and pre-packaged food items
- Always ensure compliance with food hygiene and health & safety standards
- Replenish café stock and vending machines as required
- Keep café customer friendly and storage and prep spaces clean and well-organised
- Some involvement with ordering stock, stock replenishment, stock counting
- Work as part of a collaborative, multi-skilled team
- Support the delivery of events and activities within the centre
- Follow Freedom Leisure’s policies on safeguarding, health & safety, and customer care
- Participate in relevant training and ongoing professional development
Please note: If a high volume of suitable applications is received, we may close this vacancy earlier than advertised. Early applications are encouraged.
Hours: Casual hours, as and when required.
Requirements
- Passionate about delivering outstanding customer service
- Comfortable using till systems and handling cash/card payments
- Barista experience is desirable, but training can be provided
- Able to multitask and remain calm in a busy environment
- A proactive, flexible and reliable team player
Desirable Skills & Experience:
- Previous experience in a customer-facing role in leisure, fitness, or community service settings
- Hospitality or Retail experience delivering customer excellence
- Barista experience
- Experience in a Café, Restaurant, Bar
Benefits
We want you to love coming to work, feeling healthy, happy and valued. That's why we've developed a benefits package with you in mind, so what can we offer you?
- Discounted Staff Membership (including family members)
- Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential, independent and professional counselling
- Financial advice
- Flexible working hours
- My Staff Shop employee benefits scheme, offering discounts on cinema tickets, travel, high street e-vouchers, gift cards, days out, leisure activities and everyday spending
- Paid annual leave
- Potential permanent work opportunities
- Various insurance and savings schemes
Closing date: 7th August 2026
Salary: Up to £12.71 per hour
Freedom Leisure is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Café Crew - Casual - Ringwood Health & Leisure employer: Freedom Leisure
Freedom Leisure in Hove is an excellent employer that prioritises outstanding customer service and teamwork, making it a rewarding place to work. With a supportive work environment, employees benefit from professional development opportunities and an attractive benefits package, ensuring that your contributions are valued and recognised. Join us to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating memorable experiences for our guests.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Café Crew - Casual - Ringwood Health & Leisure
✨Get Involved in Local Events
Check out foodie festivals, farmers' markets, and local fairs in your area. These are perfect opportunities to meet restaurant owners and managers face-to-face, and they often look for part-time help during busy seasons.
✨Join Hospitality Groups
Connect with local hospitality groups on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. These communities frequently post about part-time job openings that aren’t advertised elsewhere, plus it’s a great way to engage with the food scene in your area!
✨Show Up in Person
For part-time roles in the hospitality sector, don't underestimate the power of a walk-in. Grab your best smile and pop into local cafés or restaurants with your CV in hand. It shows initiative and can really make you stand out!
✨Apply Through Our Website!
Don’t forget to check out the openings at Freedom Leisure and apply directly through our website! We love seeing friendly faces and you’ll be surprised how many part-time roles pop up that may not be listed on job boards.
We think you need these skills to ace Café Crew - Casual - Ringwood Health & Leisure
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Service Skills:In the hospitality and food service industry, showcasing your customer service experience is key. Be sure to highlight relevant roles in your CV or cover letter where you’ve directly engaged with customers—this could be from previous waitressing, barista jobs, or any roles that involved teamwork and communication. You want to convince us at Freedom Leisure that you can keep it cool under pressure!
Certifications Matter:If you’ve got any hospitality-related certifications—like food safety or first aid—definitely mention those! Including these credentials can set you apart from other applicants. It shows us that you're serious about the health and safety standards we maintain here at Freedom Leisure.
Flexibility is Your Friend:Since this is a part-time role, we’re looking for someone who can work various shifts. In your application, it’s useful to outline your availability clearly. Make it easy for us to see when you can jump in and help out—this shows that you’re committed and ready to adapt!
Let Your Personality Shine:In hospitality, personality plays a vital role. Use your cover letter to share why you’re passionate about food service and what brings you joy in helping customers. A personal touch can make your application memorable and help us at Freedom Leisure get a sense of who you are beyond your experience!
How to prepare for a job interview at Freedom Leisure
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In hospitality, your ability to work with customers and team members is crucial. Be prepared to share stories that highlight your experience in handling customer service situations, especially any tricky ones. We want to hear how you turned a potentially negative experience into a positive one!
✨Know the Menu Inside Out
You might get quizzed on the menu items or asked about your favourite dishes. Brush up on any special offerings at Freedom Leisure and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for their food. This shows you’re not just looking for any job, but you’re genuinely excited about working with their team.
✨Flexibility is Key
As you're going for a part-time role, emphasise your availability and willingness to work various shifts. Mention any instances where you've gone above and beyond for scheduling or helped out during busy times. This flexibility can make you stand out from the crowd!
✨Role-Play Scenarios
Be ready for role-play scenarios during your interview! Employers love to see how you handle on-the-spot situations, like dealing with a dissatisfied customer or managing a specific request from a patron. Practising these scenarios with friends can help boost your confidence.
