Category: Prison

Dumbledore says: “they’re saying you’ve just got to lower your expectations for a little minute to just get somewhere, even if it’s just a bed and a shower…”

August 6, 2026

“Obviously I got done for * didn’t I, like when I was younger, but I don’t really know … just living a wild lifestyle really, so just never really been that stable. I think like it’s kind of on the cards from a young age, well maybe not this, but obviously I’m gonna get a … More Dumbledore says: “they’re saying you’ve just got to lower your expectations for a little minute to just get somewhere, even if it’s just a bed and a shower…”

Jarvis says: “…when it’s a two-way thing you connect, yeah. That’s it, it’s the connection, it’s to realise for these people that they’re not outcasts …”

July 23, 2026

This is an extract from an interview with a LandWorks graduate. Jarvis had a Release on Temporary Licence placement at LandWorks in 2016 – https://penprojectlandworks.org/?s=jarvis “So I’m Jarvis, I’m employed by the NHS Reconnect and I’m what they call a ‘peer support worker’. I’ve been doing it for five years and basically what it is, … More Jarvis says: “…when it’s a two-way thing you connect, yeah. That’s it, it’s the connection, it’s to realise for these people that they’re not outcasts …”

Tazzy says: “Life don’t work, you know, with drugs and alcohol. I kind of see it that way…”

June 11, 2026

“I came to LandWorks because I can’t find work could I. So like I applied for loads of work, and I couldn’t find any work so … like I went to one job interview and like I didn’t get that. When I went to the licence review they said because it’s a life-time licence, right, … More Tazzy says: “Life don’t work, you know, with drugs and alcohol. I kind of see it that way…”

Judah says: “…coming to LandWorks helps coz it keeps me busy, and then by the time I get home I’m too tired to even think about doing anything else”

May 15, 2026

“So I’ve been in and out of prison for the last year, just over a year. I ended up with a restraining order for my mum’s house but she had cancer so I had to keep going back to look after her, which kept getting me re-called to prison. So I ended up with a … More Judah says: “…coming to LandWorks helps coz it keeps me busy, and then by the time I get home I’m too tired to even think about doing anything else”

Jax says: “I don’t wanna leave LandWorks, which I actually don’t, but at the same time I’m glad I’m leaving because now I’ve got a life that I can work towards…”

April 28, 2026

“So yeah, LandWorks was the kick-start that I needed. I’ll always be grateful to LandWorks because LandWorks brought me into recovery. I’ve stated even in the meetings I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t come up here with Darryl and see Chris because I’d probably be back in jail right this second. … More Jax says: “I don’t wanna leave LandWorks, which I actually don’t, but at the same time I’m glad I’m leaving because now I’ve got a life that I can work towards…”

Bobby says: ‘Being at LandWorks… it’s a social one innit […] when you’re trying to change your life around, you’ve fucked off all your mates so you can’t pick up the phone…”

April 2, 2026

“I done most of my time in the local prison. I see the LandWorks signs everywhere in there, but they stopped doing the ROTL then, so when I come out on licence my probation officer told me about LandWorks, so I kind of knew what it was about. He reckoned I’d like it, so he … More Bobby says: ‘Being at LandWorks… it’s a social one innit […] when you’re trying to change your life around, you’ve fucked off all your mates so you can’t pick up the phone…”

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…”

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…”

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.”

Jax says: “LandWorks is doing something right. It’s gave me a new purpose…”

September 4, 2025

“Jarvis brought me to LandWorks. Now, it’s gonna sound quite weird but at first they were like how about you go LandWorks, you try this, you try that … I was like nah, f*** it, that ain’t for me because it was like woodwork, gardening, pottery, I was like no, I don’t like getting dirty, … More Jax says: “LandWorks is doing something right. It’s gave me a new purpose…”