“I like being around non-judgemental people and when you’ve just recently been found guilty in court of wrongdoing, a lot of people around you in your life, people that read it in the newspaper, all like to take that opportunity to put you down and hold it over you, so it’s quite refreshing to be in an environment where there are no judgements whatsoever about what you may or may not have done, because you need it when you’re trying to move forward and learn from your mistakes, you know, because there are victims of every crime, but you’re one of them and it’s kind of the one that no-one has much sympathy for. So, it’s really refreshing and good just to sort of just be normal again.
Yeah, come for a look around, see what you think and then I turned up and I think I was in the wood-shop within half an hour. But yeah, I remember at first being a little bit … because I noticed with a lot of the others when they first start, especially the younger ones, like they’re shy because it is unusual to be engaged by other people when you have certain … you know, you’re told you’re certain thing and then you believe you’re a certain thing, and then like when we all have lunch together and that, like say some of the other people I’ve seen come through here, the transformation is night and day between like not speaking, feeling awkward and then that like family lunch thing really does it. Before you know it, the confidence is brimming because there’s all good support here for whatever your problems are, you know, whether you need to find a dentist or somewhere to live, there’s someone here to help, which is like probably the best thing.
Even after I’ve left, if I needed to come and chew someone’s ear off, I know exactly where to come. So that’s really good. That’s what I like anyway.
Yeah, I’d say I’m probably a lot stronger than I was before. Yeah. It’s been difficult. I haven’t had any problems getting work or anything like that. I’ve got quite a lot of different experiences from different jobs. I guess I just don’t come across dodgy. People don’t really ask. Because it’s a couple of years ago now, they ask for unspent convictions, but it’s like once they’re gone, they’re gone. So yeah, no worries. No worries at all.
Better mental health. That’s a number of things. Yeah, no small part, due to knowing that there’s always the likes of yourself and Chris at the end of a phone if I need to. Yeah, just a stronger person all round really. I don’t think I’m afraid to make mistakes as I used to be. In an ironic kind of way, it kind of means you make less of them when you’re not as worried about being caught out.
I haven’t been in any trouble. I’ve got a little boy now as well. I’ve got a little boy, and he can’t live with his mum, so I’ve got to keep my nose clean because he’d be straight into care and that’s not happening. No pressure. No, it’s good. I like having him, it’s good.
At first, I didn’t enjoy the social aspects, but after a while I did. But that’s what’s best about it, that’s where the magic happens here, I think, personally.
The bit that’s hardest to quantify isn’t to do with producing things for LandWorks. So, it’s not really the bit that’s ticking your hours off, it’s the bit in between where the magic happens.
I think a lot of people that come here don’t have much luck with their family. Like my family are great, but at the same time there’s difficulties there and judgement… Then you come here and then … you can choose your own family in life, especially once you’ve been in jail, you think that those sorts of people are all you’ve got and there are people in jail that prey on you, especially the younger ones, to try and make you like that and then they basically own you. To get out of that mindset, where else are you gonna be told to do anything more than here … not that I’ve experienced.”
A window into LandWorks 