Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal visits HMP Stoke Heath

Earlier this week staff at HMP Stoke Heath welcomed Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, she was given a tour of the facilities that have been created and heard about programmes designed to support prisoner employment and resettlement. She was accompanied by Natasha Kendall, Head of Education, Skills and Work and Ian Harvey, both of whom had been instrumental in the development of work-related programmes at the prison.    

The Princess saw the gardens and greenhouses where prisoners are taught skills to grow many different fresh vegetables which then go “from garden to plate on the same day”, part of learning about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. She met the Shropshire Beekeepers, who run programmes for prisoners and demonstrate how to keep hives. 

The tour included the workshops where she was briefed on the structured engineering training programmes, where prisoners gain practical skills, industry experience and are supported towards employment upon release; a briefing on the Forest Fencing initiative and the woodwork shop where prisoners make amongst other things bird and hedgehog boxes which are sold to raise money for the Lingen Davies Cancer Charity. 

The Princess also visited and then unveiled a plaque for the “High Street” a newly created internal hub run by prisoners, comprising a barber’s shop, cafe, and charity shop. The prison has developed numerous links with local and national employers including Marstons Pubs, who have taken their “Excel” programme into Stoke Heath which is focused on supporting individuals leaving prison to gain employment. This initiative includes a dedicated training facility inside the High Street, where they offer a 13-week chef training course, with the possibility of job offers at Marston’s pubs for successful participants. The programme, which includes National Vocational Training Qualifications aims to reduce reoffending rates by providing skills and job opportunities.  

Governor, Rachel James, said Stoke Heath prison is committed to preparing prisoners for employment by providing training qualifications and practical work experience. She added we were delighted that Her Royal Highness, was able to meet so many staff from right across the prison and hear how they were helping change lives, improving outcomes which ultimately benefit the whole community.