Author: PeN Project

The Photographic electronic Narrative (PeN) project shares photographs taken by trainees at LandWorks: an independent charity that provides a supported route back into the community for people in prison or at risk of going to prison.

Doris says: “It’s like a unit. It’s not a family unit because it’s not like that at all. It’s like everyone’s linked together.”

March 19, 2026

My dad was in the military. I was born in Cornwall and then we moved all over the place. We went to Germany. We’ve lived in Scotland. We’ve lived everywhere in the UK. Then dad came out of the Air Force. I went into care. So, I’ve moved around with care, locked up in secure … More Doris says: “It’s like a unit. It’s not a family unit because it’s not like that at all. It’s like everyone’s linked together.”

Graham says: “LandWorks works because of trust going both ways. It works because if we say we’re gonna do something we will do it…”

February 19, 2026

“I am the workshop manager, which involves the daily running of the workshop, making sure there are jobs for all the guys and girls to do each day and to bring an income in of roughly a £1000 a week if possible or hit a target of £4000 a month, whether that be for stuff … More Graham says: “LandWorks works because of trust going both ways. It works because if we say we’re gonna do something we will do it…”

Leo says:” I don’t feel judged, you know… there’s no hierarchy system here…”

February 5, 2026

“…well, I got the sentencing in September and was put on a 12-month suspended sentence, ‘til September, and given some RAR days or whatever they’re called, and when I went to go and meet my probation officer, you know, we had a little chat in *, and yeah I was telling her that I was … More Leo says:” I don’t feel judged, you know… there’s no hierarchy system here…”

Gareth says: “This place does help me. It gives me a lot to think about. It just gets my mind off the crap that’s going on out there…”

January 21, 2026

“I ended up in HMP1 first, then I went to HMP2. I was seg orderly in HMP2, so looked after the inmates that were in the seg. That was different. The things I’ve seen, not good, on the prisoners’ side as well as the gov’s side. They were terrible, the inmates as well as the … More Gareth says: “This place does help me. It gives me a lot to think about. It just gets my mind off the crap that’s going on out there…”

Jax says: “I like being at LandWorks coz I feel like it’s my safe space.”

December 12, 2025

“My first couple of days here I relapsed and I was back using drugs again after being clean like all year, I’d relapsed. I was trying to hide it and me and ‘big man’ got in an argument in the van, yeah, to the point he got really angry and was like slapping the steering-wheel. … More Jax says: “I like being at LandWorks coz I feel like it’s my safe space.”

David says: “I love the fact that we all sit around one table and like we all have like discussions and talks about like different things, it’s never always the same thing…”

November 27, 2025

“…coming out of prison it’s just hard to get work because most places won’t take you on with a criminal record so, I’ve been struggling really hard with that and just, my motivation was just going down and I was feeling a bit depressed. I wasn’t really doing much, so this has given me like … More David says: “I love the fact that we all sit around one table and like we all have like discussions and talks about like different things, it’s never always the same thing…”

Chantal says: “LandWorks has given me motivation and faith in the world…”

November 14, 2025

“It’s been really good. It sort of gave me a purpose coz I was coming sort of two days a week as well. It gave me purpose. It sort of broke my week up as well. I don’t know, it’s changed me a lot in a sense I’ve probably got a lot more confidence back, … More Chantal says: “LandWorks has given me motivation and faith in the world…”

Stef says: “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.”

October 30, 2025

“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 … More Stef says: “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.”

Cherry says: “one thing I struggled with, coming out of prison, is feeling like I was being judged by everyone.”

October 16, 2025

“So after coming out of prison I thought my life was gonna be amazing, […], I would go back to normal life but without the stresses and the dramas of being on bail … that wasn’t the case. […] With all that, my mental health, you know, I came out with such, you know, great … More Cherry says: “one thing I struggled with, coming out of prison, is feeling like I was being judged by everyone.”

Kara says: “I just thought oh my god, I can be like you, I can do it as well.”

October 2, 2025

“I was so nervous, I just didn’t know what to expect. I just didn’t know anything. I did go online and watch the film. I cried my fucking eyes out, I was just crying all the way through it, you know, I just thought it was the whole thing, it was fantastic, you know, the … More Kara says: “I just thought oh my god, I can be like you, I can do it as well.”