“I get anxious wherever I go, anywhere new or meeting people for the first time. My anxiety levels go sky-high… I think it’s gradually got worse over the years. Where I’ve gone into prison, and when I come back out, I’m missing chunks of peoples lives and I’m not used to seeing so many people … More Tommy says: “I don’t rate myself very highly. I’m here, that’s the main thing.”
“I’m a trainee police officer on a week’s placement… I didn’t know LandWorks despite living … I’ve got family in Totnes, so, I’ve kind of heard of LandWorks, but not exactly what they do. I did some research online and knew that there would be manual work and outdoor work and woodwork, but I … More Jack says: “You coppers are all the same, well, we’re not.”
“There are the things that the courts never gets to hear, because the police say you are this, this is what you are. I’m a hard-working person and this is what I do, but all they heard was ‘this is what he is’ and ‘that’s what he is’ and ‘this is because we think this’. … More Lee says: “For 18 months I’ve been sat in that prison with a stagnant mind. I need something to do and here it is…”
“I’m nearly leaving now, what a gang of people you’ve got out here. They’ve not just helped me, they’ve helped me in ways I didn’t think I could possibly be helped. Being a heroin addict for 30 years and coming out of myself within five months, I didn’t think could be possible. So, I feel … More Eric says: “I’m nearly mended”
“I think a lot of people are a bit wary about picking up prisoners, but that didn’t faze me at all. I’ve worked with people before who’ve been in prison. People have made mistakes and that’s life, isn’t it? We all make mistakes. People say to me “why are you driving prisoners?”, like it’s something … More Ernie says: “I think a lot of people are a bit wary about picking up prisoners…”
“The hardest thing for me is, which I have no choice, is going to the gate every morning, standing there’s big doors, one only opens when the other one’s closed … we stand in that and it’s like an empty garage, freezing cold, waiting to get out, but we also stand there with the guys … More Benny says: “when I first came out here, it was a little bit shameful to say you’re a prisoner when you meet the public.”
“I’m coming out to LandWorks on the understanding from the prison staff who have said it will be very beneficial for me. I class myself as a hard worker, but I wanted to explore a bit more about LandWorks and I’ve heard of opportunities of work on release, contacts that you lot have, the work … More Eric says: “I need to get back in the swing of things for work”
Next Friday is my last … I get released from prison and I’m looking forward to that. I’ve got a good set of people to go to. I’ve got a lot of support. Obviously, I feel a bit anxious in different areas. Even though, as I’ve said before, there’s a lot of loss. By actually … More Jarvis says: “I’m so grateful that I’ve got that support because I don’t know how I would’ve managed on my own…”
I suppose one of the things I’d like to try and get across is how easy it is to actually end up in prison. Most people assume that you’ve done something to go to prison. Well, I did nothing to go to prison. Some of my staff didn’t do enough which is why I gone … More Frankie says: “Coming out to LandWorks has been a breath of fresh air…”
I think it’s important to say that I’ve been a long-term criminal most of my life. I’ve come to a stage in my life that I’ve had enough. I’ve hurt so many people, including myself. All the relationships that I’ve had with my children… I haven’t been there for anybody really. Then, obviously, there’s all … More Jarvis says: “It makes me anxious just to do that normal stuff…”
A window into LandWorks 