Working Through It 

Saturday 27 June 2026 -  Sunday 3 January 2027

FREE

Work in prison used to be about punishment. Hard labour was pointless and deliberately served no purpose. 

In 1895 the Gladstone committee recommended that work should be productive and useful. Since then, work has been used for moral and physical regeneration, to help people learn new skills and to prepare them for jobs when they leave prison.

It has also been used to make money for both prisons and private companies, whilst prisoners themselves are paid below minimal wage. UK labour law does not protect people in prison because they are not classified as ‘workers’.

We invite you to reflect on the past, consider the present, and imagine the role of prison work in the future.

Should it focus on rehabilitation? Can it improve well-being and reduce self-harm?

Should it provide meaningful work that provides opportunities for people to learn new skills, and prepare them for employment back in society?

Can work help someone change their life?

Can it help to build a positive and inclusive society?

Worked in partnership with Novus, Bamboo Bicycle Club and HMP Lowdham Grange