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The Real Bread Campaign believes more prisoners should have access to Real Bread training and to eat
The Real Bread Campaign believes that your money could be better spent on locally-baked Real Bread.
We also believe that training in Real Bread baking can provide certain prisoners with valuable skills that could increase their chances of meaningful employment after release. It is well-established that employment is a key factor in helping to reduce the risk of re-offending.
We understand that the contracts for all food purchased for UK prisons is held by just two companies.
As a start of the process of looking at what improvements there might be to make, on 11 November 2011, we contacted the UK Ministry of Justice to ask for the following information:
We will publish their response when we receive it.
If you are involved in the prison service and have information on bread procurement, production or of prisoners being taught Real Bread skills, please get in touch.
The Clink restaurant is located in Her Majesty’s Prison High Down in Sutton, Surrey, operated by The Clink Charity in collaboration with HMP High Down, the Prison Service and the Ministry of Justice. It is the first and only commercial restaurant to be built inside a working British prison to date. Under the leadership of chef Alberto Crisci it offers prisoners the chance to gain experience and qualifications in professional food preparation, food service and cleaning, as well as in-depth guidance to find full time employment within the hospitality industry upon release.
In early 2011, Real Bread Campaign member Jane Mason of virtuousbread.com began teaching Clink trainees how to bake Real Bread. You can read updates on the progress of the scheme from Jane in her website blog.
In March 2004, a £1.5m bakery was opened at HMP Lindholme, funded by the Home Office and Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency.
A 2008 Ministry of Justice briefing reported that: 'at HMP Lindholme an in-house bakery employed a total of 84 prisoners in 2006 - 2007. Of these prisoners 49 were registered for an NVQ and 64 NVQs (in food and drink manufacturing as well as bakery) were awarded. Four prisoners were released into full-time employment'
In September 2010, the Real Bread Campaign began trying to contact HMP Lindholme by phone to find out more. On 12 November 2010, we emailed the following questions:
We followed this up on 18 November 2010, and 6 January 2011, when we were advised ' I will have a look at it for you today' Still having not received a full reply, we followed up again on 5 September 2011 and 11 November 2011.
We will publish their response when we receive it.
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