Public gets a chance to see what grows in prison garden
THE prison unlocked the gates to its gardens allowing a select group of islanders a sneak peek at what grows behind the bars.
About 100 people took advantage of the rare opportunity to visit the gardens, which are mostly devoted to growing vegetables, but also contain flowerbeds, formal lawns, bee hives and a wild flower garden.
Tickets were strictly limited and David Stuart from Floral Guernsey, which helped organise the event, said it could have sold out several times over.
‘From a personal point of view I think the gardens are phenomenal, everything looks so good. They have done an amazing job, especially as they try not to use chemicals.’
Between 10 to 14 inmates work in the gardens at any one time, which due to the current low prisoner numbers is about a sixth of the population.
Many use the opportunity to learn new skills and study for an NVQ in horticulture
‘This is a working prison and everyone is allocated a job, and it’s a very responsible position to work in the garden,’ said Dave Le Feuvre, the prison’s head of education, training and regimes.
‘Our work here is built around encouraging people not to come back.
‘In an ideal world we would be out of a job.’
He said that as well as being an important rehabilitation tool, the prison saved between £10-15,000 every year by using their own produce in the prisons kitchens.
The open days were organised to raise money for Clip – Creative Learning In Prison – which supports prisoners by providing additional opportunities to learn new skills.
Charity founder Andrew Ozanne said that the open days were important for more than just raising funds.
‘Today is a wonderful way for the public to see what prison is really about, to see the effort put in to the garden and the standards reached,’ he said.
‘The gardens allow prisoners to really see what they are achieving.’
The work in the gardens is overseen by prison officers James Driscoll and Paul Seammen, who have both qualified to teach NVQ and City & Guilds qualifications.
‘I don’t think you can appreciate how important the gardens are until you work here,’ said Mr Driscoll.
‘The inmates are grateful to be out here and learning.
‘Personally it’s great to help people and see the progress they make.’
Inmates who were showing visitors around the gardens said they recognised how important it was to be allowed to work outside.
‘To be out of and away from the concrete and the bars, is great for our mental health,’ said one of the prisoners. We do take pride in what we grow.’
As part of the NVQ prisoners working in the garden are allocated their own allotment areas, and inmates admitted that they could get a little bit competitive.
‘We are with the pumpkins especially,’ said one.
‘It’s about who can grow the biggest, but generally we all help out with each others, there is a lot of teamwork.’
