PROJECT UPDATE JANUARY 2012
- The Greener on the Outside of Prison (GOOP) project continues in HMPs Styal, Kirkham, Kennet, Buckley Hall,and HMYOI Hindley. BTCV and the Forestry Commission continue to support the project, and a focus on the future includes developing a new opportunities for prisoners on release through Groundwork and Blue Skies.
- At HMP Styal work on the reflection garden is almost complete, and work has begun on developing the Community House garden and vegetable growing area, and an outdoor classroom. The groundwork has been a primary focus (e.g. path work/ block paving) to enable access to the greenhouse and outdoor classroom.
- Activity is also focusing on future business planning and making contacts with new partners external to the prison.
- In addition, the prison has worked hard on an application to the RHS to design a garden for the Flower Show at Tatton for 2012 that has involved extensive input from the gardens, education department, and the prisoners themselves.
- At HMP Kirkham work is continuing on Beacon Fell with the current focus on construction of gravel pathways and strimming. In addition, the prison is working to develop an outdoor classroom in a local school, to develop a community planting and seating area, and to develop other sites in partnership with Lancashire County Council.
- At HMP Kennet work is focussing on building external partnerships in the horticultural and environmental sector.
The prison has participated in Maghull in Bloom, and is exploring the possibility of working with Sefton Council on the regeneration of King Georges Park in Southport. A work party of category D prisoners now has responsibility for the conservation area established within the prison grounds.
- At HMP Buckley Hall work continues in producing vegetable planters/growing boxes, and the new workshop will be opening soon.

Project Aim: To reduce inequalities and improve the health, well-being and employability of offenders by providing a tailored and sustainable ‘green health’ programme for prisons that addresses the three priority outcomes of the Big Lottery Well-Being Programme – mental health, physical activity and healthier eating. Project Summary: The project will provide a variety of opportunities for offenders to participate in environmental projects through locally determined, needs-led activities that will impact positively on the three priority outcomes of the Big Lottery Well-Being Programme. Drawing on the British Trust for Conservation of Nature (BTCV)’s Green Gym delivery model, the project will offer a coherent, holistic and joined-up approach to improving the health and well-being of offenders and those in prison localities. Through provision of focused diversionary activities, it is anticipated that GOOP will result in increased levels of physical activity, improved mental well-being and increased awareness of and understanding of environmental issues and of the food growing process – at the same time contributing to community cohesion, social inclusion, skills/competency development (particularly in relation to team work, leadership, negotiation, literacy and numeracy) and employability. Involvement of staff working in prisons and the wider offender management system will be encouraged, in order to ensure longer-term sustainability – and the project will, where appropriate, work with and build on existing initiatives such as Healthy Routes to Work, Exercise on Prescription and Walking the Way to Prison Health. In keeping with the system-level focus of the Pan-Regional Programme, the project will also identify opportunities to work across the offender pathway by promoting the project with local employers and prison-based employment initiatives; and linking to established community-based environmental volunteering and regeneration programmes (run by organisations such as BTCV, the Forestry Commission and Groundwork) to share and develop learning and, where appropriate, engage ex-offenders, people who are at risk of offending in the future, and families and dependents. In addition, as part of a pan-regional programme, a major focus will be on sustainable system-level development and change, engaging and benefiting organisations working with offenders and the wider offender community.

Locations: HMP Haverigg; HMP Kirkham; HMP Buckley Hall; HMP Styal.