The revised format

We have worked in prison since 1989 (35 years) and are revising the structure of our prison work by

(a) maintaining contact with the prison throughout the year with weekly sessions

(b) making the large-scale project biennial (once every two years).

Reasons for the change

The need for regular purposeful activity in prisons is greater than ever.

The Prison Reform Trust’s latest Bromley Briefing  details how little purposeful activity there is now in prisons, with almost nothing having changed since the lockdowns and extreme restrictions of the pandemic.

We know that rehabilitation is vital, but opportunities such as this are vanishingly rare.

Our three sources of funding (public donations, trust donations and ticket sales) have, since COVID, become precarious. That is why we need your support.

Why are we staying in HMP Bronzefield?

We will continue to work with HMP Bronzefield, one of only 13 UK Women’s prisons and the only purpose-built private prison for women in the UK. With so few prisons, a woman is usually a long way from her family and her children are often taken into care.

Bronzefield is the largest female prison in Europe, with a roll call of 572 in four house blocks with a mother & baby unit for 12 women and 13 babies up to the age of 18 months. The prison is operated by Sodexo Justice Services.

The Weekly Sessions

Throughout the year there will be weekly classes, headed by Tol Christie who has attended a week of induction in the prison to enable him to carry keys and escort other teachers – a pianist, a singer and a choreographer.  Not all teachers will be present every week.

The class will take place on Friday afternoons with roughly 20 prisoners. Once these have been established, there may be a second class in the morning. Content will include drama (including the prisoners’ own writing), singing and dance, building towards public showcases (in Spring 2024 and Autumn 2024).

These weekly sessions will offer more longevity, consistency and structure to the project. Since confidence, energy, teamwork, and positive thinking all contribute to rehabilitation and social integration, the weekly classes, like the large productions, can facilitate significant improvements, both in the way prisoners view themselves, and are viewed by others.

The large-scale project February 2025 

Every two years, there will be the intensive, transformative experience of rehearsing for and performing in a West-End standard production, in front of a paying public audience.

We plan to stage the musical, Made in Dagenham, based on the strike by the women at the Ford plant in Dagenham who made car seat covers. Their action led to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. Made in Dagenham had its West End premiere in 2014.

The prison are enthusiastic, and have applied to the Prison Service for approval.

From October 2024 onwards, the weekly classes will constitute rehearsals for  Made in Dagenham.

The intensive rehearsal period, with six hours of rehearsal every day, will run 27 Jan – 24 Feb.

There will be eight performances. Two for prisoners one for prison staff and five (Wed 26 Feb – Sun 2 March) for the public.

Costs

The total cost of 18 months of the work from Dec 2023 to May 2025 (the weekly classes and the large-scale project) are around £220k.

SUPPORT

Did you know?

27% of the prison population were in care. Of the under 25s, 50% were in care.

45% of adults are re-convicted within a year of release but 97% express a desire to stop offending.

Of the 85k people in prison today, around 4k are women. There are very few women’s prisons, so an offender is often a long way from her family and her children are often taken into care.

Prisoner testimonials

There is powerful evidence for the benefit that this work has to society, the public purse and the wider economy. Improvements in prisoner rehabilitation and the lowering of re-offending can only be a good thing.

“Taking part in Pimlico Opera has been life changing”.

“Since doing the project I have gained so much self worth and confidence”.

“The project has allowed me the opportunity to invest my excess energy into something both positive and productive”.

Handwritten

Typed

Betty Blue Eyes

‘There’s a pig in the house’

Bronzefield Prison, November 2022