Soroptimists from South Lancashire recently visited Styal Prison in Wilmslow.
Three members of SI Manchester (Shena Cuttle, Val Moss and Susan Hollick) joined Debbie Rogers (SI Stockport), Margaret Molyneux (SI Leigh and District; Regional Programme Action Officer) and Margaret Carr (SI Warrington) to tour the unit.
This is the second such visit. These links developed as a result of a UK-wide joint initiative between the Prison Reform Trust and Soroptimists, aimed at reducing the level of women’s imprisonment. Liaison with Eddie Tarry (Environment and Community Outreach Manager at Styal) led to the invitation to meet staff and prisoners – and for staff to attend a club meeting in Manchester.
The prison currently has an operational capacity of 460. The Soroptimists learned of the vocational courses available; also about how the women develop transferable skills, thus preparing for employment opportunities on release.
Margaret Carr reported: “We had a really interesting morning, mainly focused on the work the prison does with gardening and horticulture. In partnership with Manchester College, some of the women have gained vocational qualifications in horticulture. We had a general tour of the prison – plus the opportunity to chat with many of the women we met along the way.
“We were told that one of the main things the prison needs help with at the moment is to find another business to make use of a 4,000 sq ft workshop. The women had previously worked here, sewing for a clothing company. Any firm that sets up in the workshop needn’t be sewing-based. However, it needs to be something that can give meaningful work to the women.”
Margaret Molyneux added: “At this ‘information gathering’ stage of the UK-wide initiative, Soroptimists in South Lancashire have already been in contact with probation officers, police personnel, health boards, magistrates and judges. We have visited several women’s centres and attended multi-agency judicial conferences to obtain a snapshot of services for women offenders.
“A national perspective will emerge from all the information that Soroptimists are accumulating, and will be published. The Prison Reform Trust values this work as it will fill in critical gaps in the UK picture, increase understanding about women’s imprisonment and highlight good practice.”