TRAINING & EDUCATION
Prisoners choose the activities they wish to undertake in Holme House. After receiving their induction pack covering Health & Safety procedures, the LBA contingent undertakes a fortnight’s probation in horticulture
”
to us an hour later for the afternoon session.” The gardens team aren’t idle then though. “I go to the gym over lunch, and Les goes every day too - all part of staff wellbeing. I’ve shed six stone in the last two years. I’m now 11st 8lb. Changing lifestyle has helped, as well as exercise and I only drink water now.” Eternal vigilance is burned into the team’s psyche. “I had to take a course in personal safety techniques when I arrived and these are updated periodically so we are prepared for eventualities. We’re all equally equipped to defend ourselves. Then there were all the call signs and the radio language to master too. Jeff, Les and I are the team’s First Aiders and we are also qualified to drive forklifts.” Andy’s duties, embracing all grassed and turfed areas, plant propagation and hard/soft landscaping, keep him busy, but the physical work only forms part of the story for him. “For me, it’s about helping men on a new path and direction. Things don’t always work out for them, but we try to put pride back into them so they can say ‘I’ve done that’ when they walk round the site.”
“I tell them to view their day as coming to work and aiming to get the site looking as attractive as they can, whilst making the best from a bad situation, which being in prison is, of course. They seem to take that on board as seldom, if ever, do we encounter a problem.” “They are on course to learn life skills and horticulture to help make them better people. If they were not aiming for that, they would not be working in Land Based Activities.” “Rehabilitation is our number
144 PC December/January 2019
one priority but, however we teach, it’s up to them to achieve their ambitions.” After twenty-six years in the service and quality in horticulture, Les has always loved this line of work. “It’s all worthwhile when we receive a letter here telling how former inmates are progressing outside.” “All plants are grown from seed in our greenhouses, then planted out as summer and winter bedding. Staff come down here to buy hanging baskets in our spring/summer sale. Christmas planters are popular, as are wicker reindeer and polar bears the prisoners make. Some output also goes to the garden centre shop at HMP Kirklevington nearby.” Andy adds: “We had the opportunity to showcase what we do to the governor at a staff meeting recently and, from that presentation, 129 Christmas planters have been sold. News like that filters down to our department and is a great incentive for prisoners to excel.” Andy’s still moving onwards and upwards on the teaching track by taking his TaQWA course. “Les can teach and assess. Once I have passed the course, I am a qualified assessor and hope to rise to Band 4 if a suitable position becomes available,” he explains. Turfcare at Holme House has
to take account of the risk factors inherent in a typical management programme. Andy discusses budget and purchasing with Jeff. “If you put a good case, he usually listens,” Andy says. “The Billy Goat vacuum we bought recently is doing a great job of clearing lawns and keeping litter down and our Viking rotaries are perfect for our needs.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164
