Coldingley social enterprise closed

Our social enterprise in Coldingley prison closed down on Friday. After two years of producing high quality graphic design for a wide range of
clients, we had to give in and close it down.

We had a useful meeting with the Minister, David Hanson, last week to explain the insurmountable problems that made it impossible to run as
a business. He is keen to involve business in prisons, but quite honestly, the Alice in Wonderland world of prisons means that just ain’t going to work.

We explained that the cut in hours made it impossible to compete. Two years ago we started at 30 hours a week but the prison cuts meant we lost about 8 hours per person. There was never any possibility of overtime or flexibility – if we need a few minutes to finish a piece of work, hard luck.

The sudden and frequent lock downs meant we could not fulfil contracts. Ironically, at the very time that we were meeting with the Minister, the prison had a lock down and our prisoner/designers did not appear for work all afternoon. No warning, no explanation, no apology.

The policies, attitudes and practices prevent any real activities going on in prisons. I have lobbied and cajoled and bullied, but the prisons are unmoveable and illogical. Unless something radical changes, the prisons will go on sucking thousands more men, women and children in and leaving them idle and purposeless for years on end. What a terrible waste of lives, money and effort. If anything is criminal, it is that.