The Beauty's Inside by London College of Fashion

The Beautyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside A unique collaboration between London College of Fashion and HMP Send

Summer 2012

Issue One

Editor

LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION

With special thanks to

Julia Robson

Luke Craggs, BA(Hons) Creative Direction

Sir John Cass’s Foundation

Picture Editor

Poppy Koumis, BA(Hons) Creative Direction

Luke Craggs

Kanne (Chenxi) Ge, BA(Hons) Creative Direction

Professor Frances Corner, OBE Head of College, LCF

Graphic DesignER

Sophia Baker, BA(Hons) Fashion Journalism

David Hardy

Laura Hayward, BA(Hons) Fashion Journalism

Project Manager

Mariel Sabga, BA(Hons) Fashion Journalism

Camilla Howarth

Agnes Lloyd-Platt, BA(Hons) Fashion Photography

Contributors: HMP Send

Danny Lowe, BA(Hons) Fashion Photography

Billy, Charlie, Elizabeth, Hayley

Beinta a Torkilsheyggi, BA(Hons) Fashion: Styling

Heidi, JJ, Keira Tyler, Peppa

and Photography

Rachel, Tinks, Jessie

Kevin Jude Walters, BA(Hons) Fashion Photography Dora Simson, BA(Hons) Fashion: Hair and Make-Up

Karen Elgar, Governor, HMP Send Lyn Cannon, Head of Community Engagement, HMP Send Ann Hall, HMP Send Dawn Swannick, HMP Send Tom Bollingmore, HMP Send -All the HMP Send minibus drivers, everybody working on the gate at HMP Send, and all the HMP Send catering staff, for organising lunches during the photoshoots

Cover Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

Foreword

Welcome to the first issue of The Beauty’s Inside, a unique collaboration between London College of Fashion and HMP Send. This magazine, funded by Sir John Cass’s Foundation, represents the third collaboration between London College of Fashion (LCF) and Send and is the result of several months of Friday morning ‘workshops’ where participants from Send and LCF have worked together to come up with content deemed relevant, informative and refreshing. Underpinning the project was the desire for Send women to take ownership of the publication (which they certainly did, and then some!). As well as exploring issues closest to the hearts of Send residents – from spiritual needs to horticultural appreciation, what to wear during visiting time and what to include in your “14 tops and 10 bottoms” - the highlight of the sessions was, undoubtedly, the photoshoot. Having received permission to bring in a camera (from wonderful governor, Karen Elgar – thank you!), four brilliant fashion photography students came and undertook a very special fashion assignment on the hottest day in May, with models styled using clothes from Send’s on-site second hand clothing boutique, SendSation. Hair, not just clothes, rates equally highly as an outlet of selfexpression at Send, which explains our second fashion shoot. The hair was styled by a very talented woman from Send who hopes

HMP Send

50th Anniversary 1962 – 2012

to make a career in hair styling upon leaving. She was very ably assisted by one of the LCF Creative Direction students, and we predict huge success for these two. Besides using the magazine as a vehicle to explore and hone raw talent - and showcase fashion awareness at Send - the women were also keen to present the many positive ways in which women can help themselves during their sentences, as illustrated in a number of features. In the year that Send acknowledges its 50th birthday as a prison, perhaps it is this, above all, that truly provides cause for celebration and inspiration. The 50th anniversary theme continues throughout the magazine, as we look back at the way things were 50 years ago, and the developments at Send since that time. Finally, LCF students felt very much at home at Send given its huge Arts sensibility (thanks, in part, to the nearby Watts Gallery), so to those who showed us their art, textiles, clothing and writing, we say: “Keep at it!”. Happy Birthday Send. Enjoy your magazine.

1950s

1962

The prison’s origins lie in a smallpox isolation hospital built near the village of Send, Surrey.

Send becomes a prison opening as a Junior Detention Centre.

The Beautyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside

Contents

Page

Foreword

An Officer And Also A Gentleman: A former officer at HMP Send remembers

What Art Means To Me

Chaplaincy: Interviews with the University of the Arts London and HMP Send chaplains

A Day In The Life : From LCF and HMP Send

The Bigger The Hair, The Closer To God

Education, Education, Education: 3 personal reflections on qualifications gained in prison

Healthcare

Spooky Parallels: Between 1962 and 2012

What Style Means To Me

Fashion is (so much more than) Frocks: Photoshoot from HMP Send

Fighting Our Cause, Help Available Within Send

14 Tops, 10 Bottoms, 04 Shoes: Wardrobe recommendations, from the High Street

Visiting Time: Reflections from 5 inmates

Gardens

Send 50 Years: I Remember

Prison Lingo

An Officer and also a Gentleman

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

1980 – 1986

1986

1997

Used for ‘short, sharp, shock’ treatment for young offenders.

Following a ‘serious incident’ within the prison estate Send is re-rolled overnight to take C and D category male prisoners.

Number of male C/D category inmates increased to 230. New intake housed in two new Ready to Use units, which will hold the D category resettlement prisoners.

A former officer at Send remembers.

“I started working at Send in 1983 after serving twenty four years in the British Army. The man who was going to be the governor one day tapped me on the shoulder and asked me, “Would you like to come to my new place?”

t was run exactly like the army. Then, Send was an institution for young male offenders, aged 14-16. The average sentence was about four months. When I think of it now, the regime was quite shocking. The boys were made to run everywhere. What was the thinking behind making them run? Discipline. It was sheer brutality. There was no such thing as human rights then. Despite the discipline there was rebellion all the time in some form. There was a regulation uniform and regular kit inspection. The boys slept in dormitories. Every Sunday morning there was a parade. The boys marched in their brown or green or red uniforms depending on what Wing they were in. They did benefit from a gym. They became so fit it was unbelievable. When they got out, and if they reoffended -which so often they did - they were fitter than the police who couldn’t catch them!

Nighttime was the worst for fights. I’d use my whistle. TV changed everything. It made our job easier. Although the regime was still set up for boys it was hard to make 25 grown men (as there were in each wing) get out of bed in the morning and go to breakfast. Sometimes I had to hunt for men in the nightshift. Before that there was only table tennis and dominoes… and the occasional spliff.

A-Wing was the reception wing. You had to earn the right to join B-Wing where you were allowed to speak. Then you got extra food and could receive letters. The biggest punishment would be to deny them visits from their family. These had to be earnt. Did the sharp treatment work? No, not really. The worst thing for me was hearing the boys crying in the cells at night. I was the father of boys around the same age at the time. I used to sometimes take some under my wing. I’d help them write a letter home. You wouldn’t believe the number of boys who couldn’t write. I would bring in sweets for some. They were just kids. First time away from home most of them. And the treatment was shocking.

There was a male nurse but no dentist, optician, and physio, obviously no beauty salon. It’s very different today than it was then. Send was re-rolled as a women’s prison in 1998 and they made a point of recruiting women officers. They set up a recruitment initiative from a portacabin. Initially there were 80 inmates. Instantly, I realised women could be far crueler. With the men if there was trouble there might be a punch up, then it would be settled. Women have different tactics.

In 1986 there were some riots in a jail in Sussex. Send closed down overnight and opened as a male prison. No one had thought about the sleeping arrangements. We still had 10 inmates down one side and 10 down another. It was never going to work. There were no escapees when there were boys but 3 or 4 absconded when it became a male prison. Once, an inmate managed to get a plank of wood during a Farms and Gardens class and used a claw hammer to climb over the fence.

D-Wing over by the kitchen was where you used to get the older fellas. It was quiet at nighttime and there were never any drugs. Drugs, then as now, were always the biggest problem in jail. I used to be aware the older inmates didn’t really want to be released. What had some got to go out to? Inside it was clean and safe. They had a roof over their heads and a hot meal. Many made some good friends here.

When it was male-only the dormitories used to stink. There was only one toilet at the end of the room and you had to ask permission to use it. There was one shower and two baths for a wing of 40 inmates. The bath was only used for rare diseases. The men used to look forward to having a shower when they used the gym. When it was a men’s prison there was a terrific garden with 40 men working on it. The produce – tomatoes, cucumbers – would be sent to other prisons. Food? There were a lot of stews. A three-course meal most days. ‘Bricks” were on the menu along with Duff pudding, a sort of jam roly-poly with a ladle of custard. Everyone had to take what was given. I recall one boy tipped a tray up and got hit over the head with a ladle. He never did it again.

What Art Means To Me!? By Charlie

I live and breathe art. Read, think, express myself in artist fashion via clothing, pictures on my wall, right down to the films I watch, books I read and music I listen to. To push my thought process to ultimate limits, expand my mind and understand the world around me -inside and out- and more importantly, my own perception at myself and all that IS. Art has always been in my life. At school my behaviour was out of control but I was allowed to sit and draw quietly in the corridor. When I left school I went to college to study Art/Design but dropped out after only a few months having no confidence in my drawing and myself. And actually no life experience. As a child I would draw with my granddad who liked to paint landscapes. I learnt to draw by copying characters out of comics like The Beano and then graphic novels. I also used to draw my dolls, my Barbies. Then I began to draw from my mind. I’d say my work still has a very ‘comic book’ style to this day and I like to use words in a comic book way but it wasn’t until I got this sentence that I really became passionate, and had the time to practice, that I developed a style. When I first arrived (at Bronzefield) I joined the Arts class and started by copying paintings by Edvard Munch and doing things in the way Francis Bacon would work. The tutors really saw potential in me, which made me feel I was good at something for once. I would sketch frantically at all times and started creating my own art pieces.

1998 HMP Send re-rolled as a women’s prison. All male prisoners are relocated within two weeks. Category D prisoners transferred to open or resettlement establishments. C prisoners who could not be up-graded sent to HMP High Down. There are only 5 trained female staff at Send.

The new regime required the staff to be 70% female and 30% male. A vigorous recruitment and training programme commences. 31 out of 35 recruits qualify successfully on the training programme carried out on site.

When I paint I am free. This place no longer has a hold on me. It is my escape (ism).

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

1999 Send has only 80 inmates which gives it time to adjust to the new regime. Old accommodation blocks are pulled down and a ÂŁ12 million rebuild programme is underway.

2000 The new prison will not have a mother and baby unit. All prisoners will be sentenced adults and there will be a dedicated drugs rehabilitation unit housed in 10 double cells.

RAPt makes a successful bid for Home Office accreditation.

What Art Means To Me!?

The first piece I entered into the Koestler won a Platinum Award and was exhibited at the Royal Festival Hall. I have managed to win awards four years running and get to Exhibition three years out of four, selling various pieces to the public. I feel so proud. It’s the best feeling ever. And for once my family are proud of me. When I paint I am free. This place no longer has a hold on me. It is my escape (ism). Sometimes I think of nothing else. A complete distraction and for once a healthy one. It means I can push the boundaries further and further without half killing myself, without hurting others and meanwhile letting others see who ‘I’ really am. Glimpses - albeit cryptic - sometimes are the most important forms of communication. I feel a need for others to really see me. I haven’t quite worked out why. Perhaps I don’t want to merely blend into the background and fade away without leaving my mark. I have never been driven before. Or felt passionate about anything the way I feel about art. Not just mine but also the artists I consume, or should I say consume me! My motivation is escapism. Even though I have a small space to work in, I don’t worry about making a mess. I leave paint on the floor of each cell I live in! Sometimes (nearly all the time) I suffer with severe anxiety and it does get hard for me to motivate myself but I know it will help me. When I’m painting it puts me in a calm cathartic, dreamlike state. Almost like when I’m painting it triggers some distant dream or memories in my mind. And then I’m somewhere else. Altogether it’s therapeutic. I put on my favourite music, according to the mood of the piece of work, and sometimes I even paint in rhythm, nearly always using lyrics from the music. I’d love to work on a large scale. I find it hard getting the permission to have large canvasses. I’d like to paint on wood but health and safety, blah, blah, blah…. As I’m impulsive, I sometimes feel the urge to paint on something large. I painted the inside of my wardrobe door but they let me keep that…

All my pieces tell a story. Some art might seem more hidden. Some sheer expression on another level and some I take real care, time and attention to detail.

and baffling, but I am thankful for my nightmares. And I am glad I’m an artist in later life because I believe life experience is key. Technically I once felt inadequate.

I enjoy drawing people. Women. At first my drawings weren’t very good, you know, proportions all wrong, but I just kept on practising and I was never short of models from all walks of life. Fat, skinny, tall, short people etc.

Some don’t understand my work as it’s dark and I’m often told to draw something happy. I merely draw what makes me tick. What I think about. In respect to life/death, human behaviour, being in prison, the life I lead, what is to come, religion, society, the universe, the corridors of the mind, science, music, poetry, literature…

I also try not to merely print what I see but catch the essence of the person. It’s hard but I just keep pushing myself on. I suppose I’m very much driven by the human figure, and painting myself which some might see as narcissistic but I’m just trying to see myself. You know really see myself. All of our perceptions are completely different. That makes us human. I stare death squarely in the face. It’s why my paintings are so dark. Like most I am afraid of death. I question my faith and life after death (in what ever form that takes). It’s my way of putting a leash on death and controlling it. I like to read books to understand what was going on in the world at the time of artists been and gone. For instance, the Dadaists and Surrealists, who were influenced by dream analysis and Sigmund Freud’s ideas and notions of real basic instincts and raw urges. Free association, really tapping into the sub-conscience. And I paint my dreams. I suffer from horrific recurring nightmares; terrifying and dark. I remember these vividly down to the pattern of the wallpaper. Some of my best pieces have been from my mind at night. These pieces are completely unique to me using symbolism, allowing others to have a snap shot of what’s going on inside my head and to help understand my own mind that much more… I always used to say (before I could paint) that it would be cool to attach a wire to your head and record dreams. Well, now I have the ability to do this. I just paint them! I give great consideration and reflection to my dreams. They’re amazing, frightening

Love, hate and everything in between! Other artists inspire me. When I feel a little bleak I look at other artists. I adore JeanMichel Basquiat, Francis Bacon, Edward Much. Real, dark, gritty art with distorted faces, energetic brush strokes, bright colours, simple naivety, and exaggeration, real nervous qualities that I can really relate to. Expression is an artists’ emotional state, completely freeing oneself, feeling sheer sensation and instinct. I love their heightened awareness of the inner world, which I strive toward. Here is a quote, which I wholeheartedly agree with from an expressionist artist (I can’t remember which one!). “Work! Intoxication! Brain racking! Chewing, eating, gorging, rooting up, rapturous birth pangs! Jabbing the brush preferably right through the canvass, trampling on paint tubes, shock, provocation, a revolt against life and the establishment.” I identify with this on a deep level. All that you touch. All that you see. All that you taste. All you feel. All that you love. All that you hate. All you distrust. All your save. All that you give. All that you deal. All that you buy, beg, borrow or steal. All you create. All you destroy. All that you do. All you say. All that you eat. And everyone you meet. All that you slight and everyone you fight. All that is now and all that is gone. All that’s to come. And everything under the sun is in tune but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

Artwork: JJ

Artwork: Elizabeth

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

The Reverend William Whitcombe Chaplain, University of the Arts London Can you describe and define your role as a chaplain in your current capacity and explain what led you into the church?

I started in October 2011 as Chaplain at the University of the Arts London. I have special responsibility for London College of Fashion and London College of Communication, which make up part of the university (there are six colleges in total, LCF being the college with the most sites around London). I also help out at a parish in North London and am a chaplain to the Royal Household. Prior to this, I was Chaplain of Wormwood Scrubs prison in London for 4 years. What would be some typical things you might do in any one working day, today for instance?

First of all I pray. I usually do this at home, or I may go to a local church and join in with

the clergy because sometimes it’s hard to do alone and less easy to cut corners if you’re with others! Then I’ll grab a coffee and get to my desk at the university HQ in High Holborn, Central London for about 10. I check my emails, pick up messages, and have a chat with colleagues in other departments I work closely with (e.g. Diversity & Equality, Student Services, Counselling & Mental Health etc). There may be a morning team meeting, depending on the time of the month. I will have lunch with my colleague, Andrew, the other university chaplain. Andrew looks after Central St Martins and Chelsea College of Art, which are very different colleges. We look at our diaries over lunch, plan events, and check on people we need to see or follow up. In the afternoon I may travel to see a student or a member of staff. Travelling around London to our various sites visiting people, can take up time on the tube. I have discovered talking books and podcasts - a life saver while

I am travelling! Or I reply to emails on my iPhone. Some afternoons in the week I take the “Urgent Appointments” surgery. This is an opportunity for any student in distress to see someone urgently. We may offer them on-going help, or refer them to another agency. The University is busy in the evenings with events, so I may attend a private view, talk or lecture. Key to my role is showing up, being visible and engaging with people so that they know I am there. How do you go about getting people who come to see you for whatever reason, to feel at ease and talk openly to you about what is troubling them?

I try, as best I can, to make them feel that they are the most important person on the planet for me at that moment. I won’t rush, judge, or be flippant. It may have taken them a great deal of courage for them to approach me, and

Do you have a personal favourite prayer or saying/psalm that you find yourself using all the time?

“Teach me, my God and King, in all things thee to see, and what I do in anything to do it as for thee.”

The words of the great hymn writer, George Herbert, who wrote in 1633:

so I acknowledge that as a possibility and thank them for coming to see me. Then there are the obvious things like body language, eye contact and making it clear that what they tell me goes no further, unless they want me to ask other people for help on their behalf. Does it tend to be the same situations you often find your self hearing/talking about? Can you tell us about what these might be?

Yes. We have almost 19 thousand students at UAL. As an example, a lot of students are from very different cultures and end up having a serious identity crisis with the British university experience. Sometimes it’s hard for a quiet, Chinese student to mix with a noisy bunch of European kids. Sometimes it’s hard to argue your point with university teachers, when your Asian culture teaches you to show deference and submission to your tutors. How does what you do in this particular job differ from say, being a parish priest? What is unique to this situation, or not?

When I was in a parish, I had pastoral and spiritual care of a predominantly Christian (Church of England) congregation. I had a Victorian church, conducted weddings, funerals and lived amongst the community I served. As a university chaplain, I serve people of all faiths and none at all. One of the challenges of my role is not having a church or chapel at the university. I have to be inventive with spaces, and think differently about the sorts of events I organise. Whilst I live near to the university, nevertheless am also slightly apart from it, so when I get home I feel like the day has ended. You never really get that feeling when you are in a parish because the

doorbell can often go at 10pm and you have to deal with it. I’m not saying this is better or worse. It’s just different. How do you deal with people with lack of faith, no faith and also coming from multi denominational backgrounds?

I’d rather talk to someone who lacks faith and is uncertain, than a smug Christian who thinks they know all the answers. Has this job taught you how to deal with issues that you hadn’t had to deal with before now?

When I worked for the prison service, my time was managed for me. Sometimes university chaplaincy can feel a bit abstract and spontaneous. I have had to learn to deal with this, and also to manage my time differently. I am also conscious of that fact that I move around an organisation where some are suspicious of me, perhaps even a little hostile. I have had to think a lot more about how I present myself and how I am perceived. Are there ever times when even you doubt whether you can help?

Yes. I often feel the help I try to give is not enough. But I am always reminding myself of the words the Bishop says to us at our Ordination “...because you cannot bear the weight of this calling in your own strength, pray daily for the gift of the Holy Spirit.” I try to do this each and every day and I know that when I do, it works. A former prisoner came up to me in the street the other day and said, “you won’t remember me, but you said something to me a few years ago that saved my life!” I remembered the man, and I remembered how, at the time, I had felt like I

hadn’t been able to help him. But, guided by the Holy Spirit, I had. What are the most challenging/frustrating/ rewarding aspects about being a chaplain in this particular job?

The challenge is reaching out to people who feel hurt, alienated and angry with the church. And in some ways, dealing with my own sense of embarrassment with the church’s often not good reputation. I sometimes feel frustration with the length of time it often takes to get things done at the university. I feel rewarded when I am able to bring people together, and when people tell me something I have said or done has helped them. Has the role of the chaplain become more important than ever in our contemporary society and have you adapted your own methods to adapt to 21st century life? I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this century. I find the speed at which everything happens hard, and our fixation with “celebrity” and over consumption of stuff, troubling. I think chaplains are important. A good chaplain should be able to help people step back and re-focus. Perhaps a chaplain is there to be a bit of an irritant at times, to be in the way and not quite fit in, to be in the place but not of it, to be a passing mirror that challenges an institution to look at it’s reflection more honestly. What drives you/keeps you focussed?

Family and my friends. The chance to travel. I find the older I get, the more I rely on silence to focus me.

2005

2006

A report by the Independent Monitoring Board warned of a marked increase in self harm and suicide amongst prisoners at Send. The report praises the prison’s education provision, and its Farms and Gardens scheme.

Therapeutic Community (using democratic group therapy to address offending and experiences linked to offending behaviour) offered in courses such as Assertiveness, Anger Management. RAPt – (The Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust) introduce a unit at Send focussing on the 12 steps to recovery.

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

Interview with

My Faith & I

Fatima

By J.J. Chaplain orderly, Send

The Muslim Chaplaincy, Send

When did you convert to Islam?

Twenty-one years ago when I was 19. Why did you feel this was the right choice?

Something in my heart told me so. How long have you been spreading the Islamic word/faith?

Since I became a Muslim 21 years ago I’ve been talking to lots of different people who are interested in becoming a becoming a Muslim. How long have you been part of the Chaplaincy here at Send?

Three years, since 2009, on and off ! When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday. What hobbies do you have?

I used to go swimming a lot but now I am more into poetry and singing. What kind of music do you listen to?

I’m really into Islamic music, but my favourite singer before I was so much into my faith was Prince. Who gives you inspiration?

My fellow Muslim sisters and brothers who are on a similar journey as me. Have you anything planned for this Bank Holiday weekend?

I will be packing as I’m off on a working holiday spreading the Islamic word in Africa! If you were stranded on a desert island and you could have one person and one item with you who and what would they be?

My Islamic teacher and my holy Koran. Have you a Pipe Dream?

Yes, to have a pure soul.

I’ve worked in the St Barnabas chapel at Send since December last year. I’ve been interested in Christianity since a very young age. My elder sister, Mandy, used to take me to Sunday school since the age of two (she used to take me in my push chair!) I really enjoyed Sunday School. I have fond memories of my lovely teacher, Ruth, who helped me out with my Christian studies. I was so sad when she went to Zambia to do missionary work… As I got older I started to find other interests and soon going to Sunday School wasn’t as much fun! I always did feel like the odd one out because my three sisters had all been baptised when they were babies but by the time it got to me (being the fourth) my mum had had enough. Thus, I never got baptised. When I came to Send in 2006, I noticed the chapel on my way to the Rapt unit and remember thinking, “what a lovely little church.” I started attending every Sunday and asked a Chaplaincy volunteer to be my Godmother along with a friend from the Rapt unit. I was finally baptised in May 2007. I felt good to have achieved a goal I’d always wanted. After I finished the Rapt programme I went on to do the TC course along with Sycamore. Again I kinda lost interest in going to church and got wrapped up in other stuff. Last year I started to feel quite low, then depression kicked in. I’ve suffered with depression on and off throughout my adult life. I felt at a loose end. Like a lost sheep… I went to the doctors and sought professional help. It did help but I still didn’t feel whole. I knew something was missing. Then one Sunday I was walking down from the main block going back to J wing when I bumped into a group of my friends, all happy and bubbly, laughing and joking. One of them said,

“Hi JJ, haven’t seen you in church for a while? Hope to see you next week?” Then it all fell into place! It just clicked! This was what was missing. I had given up my faith or more along the line of… I had lost my way. I knew instantly that I would go to the chapel on Sunday and I’ve attended every Sunday since. I even renewed my vows last October and got confirmed. I still have bad patches but I know I can get through it and things will get better. I just need to pray that little bit harder. Take one day at a time. And never give up the faith.

By J.J. Chaplain orderly, Send

Photography: Poppy Koumis

A Day in the Life

Charlie Favourites

Music The Doors System of a Down Pink Floyd- dark side of the moon Led Zeppelin The Beatles Mumford and Sons Paulo Nutini Films Apocalypse Now A Clockwork Orange League of Gentlemen The Hunger (Directed by Tony Scott) Books The Pianist A Clockwork Orange Dracula Graphic Novel, From Hell by Alan Moore One of the most important British writers of the last fifty years” Also wrote ‘Watchmen’ and ‘V for Vendetta’ Art Francis Bacon Edvard Munch Andy Warhol Lucian Freud David Hockney Picasso Paul Klee

Weekday Routine

My Cell

Sometimes I don’t wake up until the door opens but sometimes around 7am I watch ‘Freshly Squeezed’, ‘All About Jim’ or ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’. My door opens. I go for meds. Have a hot drink. Let meds kick in.

I clean my cell after I’ve finished my work and when I’m locked in early weekends. Although I just spend most of my time in my cell with friends, or on my own, doing my artwork, I like the way my room is. I feel comfortable and safe here. It kind of looks like an artist’s studio/teenager’s bedroom. Weird pictures up everywhere, everything to hand…

I then start my wing cleaning job at 08:30. I often have a shower after work in the morning and get changed again. Go and get meth, come back for roll check. Out for meds again about 12:35, followed by lunch. In the afternoon I do my artwork listening to music until free flow and roll check at 4.45pm. Since starting my sentence people tell me I’m quite good at painting and it’s become my motivator to get out of this place. When I’m not in an art education class I paint in my cell. I’ve been told by my teacher that I need to build a portfolio so that I can get accepted into art school when I leave, so I’m doing this through all my spare time. It’s really turned my life around and because of my art I can now see a way out. Go for meds about 5:20pm then dinner. Call for a friend and spend time with her talking and listening to music. Weekend Routine Door opens at 9am. Get meds. Go back to bed and watch TV. Friend comes round. Spend all morning with her until meth time at 11am. Get locked up. Meds, lunch and call for a friend. Spend all afternoon together chilling until lock up at 4:45pm. Read, paint, listen to music, put a DVD on and go to sleep. Sometimes listen to music full blast to block everything out (I’m always getting told off). Often play guitar when it’s hot outside. This puts everyone in a good mood. Lots of outside association. Sunbathing. People seem much happier.

2007 Watts Gallery Project begins at Send. This includes an artist in residence (currently Sandy Curry) funded by the Michale Varah Foundation and provides a wide ranging workshop programme, including open studio sessions and art mentoring for women prisoners leading the

I rarely get bored as between my cleaning job and my artwork I am kept busy. I also very much like my own company. I feel a bit of an outsider in here. I don’t let myself get close to people. Sometimes in here it’s safer that way but now and then I meet someone who I have a connection with. That person doesn’t come along often but it’s nice when it does happen! I listen to music whenever I can. I often do a bit of singing along/dancing/air guitar. It makes me feel good. I’ve lost all my music collection from outside so I hold everything very dear and find it hard to part with the smallest of things. They have this rule here, the two dreaded words which puts fear through my bones is, ‘volumetric control’. Fitting everything you own in two black boxes is the stuff nightmares are made of, well for me anyway. I’m very protective of my room and my belongings. Staff can enter and search whenever they please. I hate it but that’s prison. I should be used to it by now. Don’t think I ever will be though. I try my best to stop the room looking like a generic cell, down to sticking pictures all over my prison chair and painting the legs. If it didn’t look so cool I would probably get a nicking for destroying prison property but the officers seem to like it! I cut the boyish girls’ hair with the clippers (I learnt this inside on my own hair first). At the moment I’m painting T-shirts for the girls as they love the ones I’ve done for myself. So you see I keep myself real busy!

2008 Crime Diversion Scheme. In 2010, over 50 women and over 30 young people participated in the programme. Just look at the subsequent results!

Emotional Fabrication –Groupwork, Kalyx Outstanding Award for Textile Art, awarded at Koestler Exhibition, a combined entry by textile students.

P K

Poppy Koumis Favourites

Music The Black Keys Bon Iver Bonobo Johnny Flynn Lana Del Rey Nina Simone The XX

Weekday Routine

Weekend Routine

09:00

11:30

Wake up with a start to my alarm. Normally snooze for ten minutes or so. Mornings are not my favourite. Dressing for fashion school is always a bit of a worry but I normally just end up in scruffy jeans and battered Converse. I never have the time (or energy) to worry too much about what I look like. Grab a bowl of cereal and power walk to the tube.

Wake up! I love weekend lie-ins.

10:00

Get the Central line from Bethnal Green to Shepherds Bush. From door to door it takes about 50 minutes each way. I hate being underground for almost two hours every day but it does give me a chance to catch up on any work I haven’t already done, or get some reading done. 11:00

Films The Diving Bell & The Butterfly Edward Scissorhands Motorcycle Diaries Thelma & Louise The Skin I Live In Books Anything written by author Haruki Murakami The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert Atonement by Ian McEwan The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Art Frida Kahlo Matisse Sally Mann Paolo Roversi Peter Blake Neil Krug Edward Lear

Grab a coffee on my ten minute walk from the tube. I’m already in need of a caffeine fix by this stage in the day. It will help me get through a two hour lecture! I’ll either have a group meeting or lecture from an industry expert. 13:00

Head to the canteen with friends for lunch. Sometimes catch up on ideas for a project. 14:00

I have a two-hour workshop in the Mac Suite. It can be an incredibly tedious two hours because I am neither inspired by computers nor technically minded, so I really have to try my best to focus. 16:00

Tube home. 17:00

Catch up with my flatmates. I live with two of my best friends so it’s always great to come home to them. 18:00

Yoga class or Swim. 19:30

Dinner and TV. Made In Chelsea is a favourite in our flat at the moment; it’s awful but very addictive! 20:30

Depending on how much work I have on and how tired I am, I’ll go out for some drinks with friends. Alternatively, work and bed.

12:30

Wander round Broadway Market or the Flower Markets with friends, get breakfast and catch up. 15:00

Go shopping, go to a film, go to a gallery or most normally go to the pub. Evening

Get drinks with friends and go out dancing. My Room My room here in London is pretty small compared to the one I have back home. I pay less rent to have the smallest room in our house. It means I can’t fit in a desk and have to work downstairs which can be difficult. Nevertheless…it is a nice little room! My walls are covered in disposable photos of friends, family, holidays, etc. Being a fashion student with an interest in styling, I have ALOT of clothes, shoes, accessories and random items used for past shoots. Storage space is my main issue. I have flowers and plants all along my window sill from the flower markets, which I’m growing and which I LOVE! I have fairy lights lining the ceiling, and lots of floral printed cushions. It’s a pretty, girly room to be honest. Having a small room means I don’t spend as much time in here though, as it just is impossible to work in, or even just chill out in. One plus though is that it forces me to keep it tidy. If I don’t, there is absolutely no floor space. Since moving to London three years ago (and moving home each year since), I’ve got used to moving on from place to place and not having so much of a connection to a space. It does make me miss my lovely, spacious room, back home a lot where I once would spend all my time in, and where so many memories lie. This room is just another room which I will inhabit for a number of months, before moving on and finding somewhere new.

The Bigger the Hair The Closer to God

Come Together As One

Chains

Real Flowers Create ‘Hairven’ On Earth

Wings

Photographer: Danny Lowe Styling: Peppa & Luke Craggs

Education Education Education By Keira Tyler

Case History

What I have learnt from doing the Level One Focus Assistant Fitness Instructor course.

I have learnt so much about the human body. From bones and joints to all the different muscles we all have in our body, to the main functions of the skeleton, energy system, respiratory, cardiovascular system and the effects of exercise overall to healthy living. These are just some of the areas we cover in Level One. I really enjoyed doing the 8-week course. It opened my eyes to the wonders of the human body. The human body is so interesting. There is so much I never knew. Like did you know there are different areas to workout? I thought you just worked out! That was it! The course taught me the structure of a health-related exercise session. This consists of a warm up component, which includes mobility exercises for the joints. This contributes to reducing the risk of injury, and enhances performance. After the mobility exercises we move on to a pulse raiser. A pulse raiser aims to prepare the heart for the intensity of the work to come. It also increases delivery of nutrients to muscles and increases muscle temperature from blood flow and movement. After the pulse raiser we move on to the preparatory stretches. The aim of ‘prep’ stretches is to encourage the muscles to work through their full range of movement. It increases neuromuscular responses and reduces the risk of injury. After prep stretches we move on to the main workout. The main workout can consist of either cardiovascular, or muscular stretch and endurance. Cardiovascular or “CV’ can be done using machines like a treadmill, spinning bike or rowing machine. The CV workout is working the cardio-vascular system, i.e. our heart. The muscular strength and endurance workout is working our muscles. This can be done with weights or free body weight using resistance. After any main workout you should always have what is called a cool down. This is to allow our heart rate to decrease gradually over an allotted time. The cool down period allows our body - and mind - to return to nonexercising state. Then, after all of that we come to stretching. This is to help relieve muscle tension following training, to aid relaxation and also to improve flexibility. It is really important to stretch after exercising to prevent injury. I would recommend the course to anyone and I now want to do the Level 2 Fitness Instructor course.

By Hayley

Case History

I was never one for sitting still and concentrating on a lesson so I avoided education like the plague. I always chose physical jobs over education, such as painting or wing cleaning, until one day I decided it was time to gain my Level 2s in Numeracy and Literacy. I always had a good idea I was capable but was scared of failure. I left school without any GCSEs and never did any form of education after that. I passed both my numeracy and literacy within a matter of weeks. Proud doesn’t even come close to explaining how I felt. I decided there and then to apply for the hairdressing course. I had never done any hairdressing before this but I had always been fascinated by how it all worked. I spent over a year in the salon eventually leaving with my Level 2 qualification and confidence that was sky high. I then moved prisons and was given the opportunity to both study and work as a mentor on the prison’s Induction Programme. This was so perfect for me as I loved working with people and enjoyed assisting them in progressing through the first week of their stay in prison. I always encouraged the ladies to consider doing some education and I would often relay my own journey in order to prove to them that success was achievable to them too. I set out lesson plans and within a few months I was almost single-handedly running the Induction Programme (under the watchful eye of my ‘mentor’ Mary).

It was such a buzz seeing the ladies do teamwork, goal setting and confidence building exercises. There was always such a big change from the ladies at the start of the week to the end of it. The mentor placement helped me build on my self-esteem and I then felt confident enough to undertake my biggest challenge so far…becoming a councillor. I first applied to the P.E.T (Prisoners, Education Trust) who are a charity that helps to fund courses for prisoners. I received all the funding I needed and am now one assignment into becoming a Drug Solvent and Alcohol counsellor. I will eventually receive a diploma and will begin to live the rest of my life. So, thanks to the patience, help, support and guidance from many prison education departments around the country I will soon be able to help others who are now where I used to be. When I was the Induction Mentor I would say to the ladies, “Do you sentence – don’t let it do you.” Remember that and you are already halfway there.

2010 Send Send Send Send

Poetry collection ‘Musings’ Rose Simpson Bronze Award Stage play ‘The Ashram Garden’ Highly Commended Award Oil or acrylic ‘King of the Heap’ Highly Commended Award Oil or acrylic ‘Censorship’ Bronze Award

Awards won

Send Send Send Send

Oil or acrylic ‘Trapped in Addiction’ G4S Commended Award Oil or acrylic ‘Still Dancing’ Commended Award Textile art ‘Flying High’ Bronze Award Needlecraft ‘Baby in a Basket’ Bronze Award

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

By L

I am currently serving a short custodial sentence (2yrs 8 months) here at HMP Send. Before coming into prison I had worked in offices but never really enjoyed my career choice.

I have always wanted to be a fitness instructor or get into the fitness industry somehow but never had the bottle to give up my day job and go for the career choice I really wanted. I also wouldn’t have been able to financially fund the course as well as not working. That was another barrier that stopped me. When I first came into prison I thought my whole world had been turned upside down. I really didn’t know how I was going to cope. Within a month or two I started to realise that I was in jail and there was nothing I could do about it. So instead of looking at all the negatives I started to look at the positives and what I could actually gain from this experience. I got stuck into lots of educational courses and started to do my Level 1 Fitness Assistant course in the gym.

After passing my Level 1, I went straight on to do my Level 2. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and now have a job in a gym to start upon my release in a few weeks time. For me this is a major positive that I gained from the Send experience. Not only was it the one thing I always wanted to do but also it also kept me busy and occupied so my time seemed to pass quicker. Now here I am nearly at the end of my sentence waiting to go home and start over with new qualifications, confidence and more ambition. Prison isn’t the nicest place to be but I found that making the most of your time in here, gaining extra qualifications and taking extra courses, is a good way to pass your time, boost your confidence, and expand your knowledge all courtesy of Her Majesty.

This was a great opportunity as I could finally do what I have always wanted to do, as well as walk out of here with the qualifications I needed to get into the fitness industry upon my release.

Send Send Send Send

Needlecraft ‘Keep Me Kozy’ Highly Commended Award Soft furnishings ‘Nip and Tuck Flowers’ Gold Award Fashion ‘Sunday Best – Girls’ Bronze Award Textile art ‘The Incy Wincy Quilt’ Kalyx Gold Award

Awards won

Send Mixed media ‘Vision for My World’ Bronze Award Send Textile art ‘Stepping Stones’ Commended Award Send Needlecraft ‘Noel’ Kalyx Silver Award All shown at the Koestler Exhibition

Ovarian Cancer (Quick facts)

Healthcare The healthcare department at Send offers a number of programmes/services, which are: Help with weight loss/ eating disorders Help with stopping smoking GP/nurse appointments Blood tests Health checks Dentist Physiotherapist Mental health in reach team Psychotherapist Asthma clinic Well woman/sexual health/ smear tests Ultrasounds Optician Chiropody Substance misuse/detox All the above can be accessed by referral or by a healthcare application.

Health facts

Cancer In Women Cervical Cancer (Quick facts) 01. About 2800 women are diagnosed each year. 02. It is caused by a common infection called the human papillomavirus (HPV) However most women with this virus will not get cervical cancer. 03. Having regular smear tests is the most effective way to prevent and detect it. 04. Cancer of the cervix can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of both. 05. Smear tests are available at healthcare.

01. It is the fifth most common cancer in women in the UK. 02. It usually affects women who have reached menopause. 03. It is treated with surgery chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Breast Cancer (Quick facts) 01. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. 02. A lump is often the first symptom. 03. Breast cancer can affect men. 04. Treatment is removal of the lump, radiotherapy and chemotherapy then a drug to block some hormones or their effects on cancer cells. Malignant Melanoma The British weather is unpredictable at best but when the sun shines we are drawn to it. Not only does the sun age our skin but also it causes certain changes that can lead to malignant melanoma. It is important to check any moles or marks for change. If these moles change in size, colour, have an uneven outline, bleed and are itchy these are signs that they need checking. If necessary get someone else to check your back or hard to reach areas. Treatment is simple if caught early. This is removal mainly taking an area of healthy tissue from the surrounding area as well. More serious cases that have spread will require radiotherapy, chemotherapy as well as surgery.

Self-harm

Attention seekers, time wasters, the needy and the vulnerable – ring any bells? Let me elaborate further. Razor blades, coffee jars and back in the day even phone cards. Still no idea? Self-harm. Self-harm is a widespread problem in prisons across the country and I myself have seen, first hand, the consequences of it. Self-harm not only affects the self-harmer but it also affects other inmates, the officers and nursing staff, not to mention the family and friends of the self-harmer. Self-harm happens due to people’s inability to identify and deal with emotions in a safe way. Some people may have mental health problems or could have a past traumatic event they are still trying to come to terms with. Some people self-harm because they miss their friends and family; either way they are in need of help and support. In recent years the help for people that self-harm has been greatly improved but it remains the responsibility of every single one of us to help one another in times of need. Nobody has ever got where they are going without the help of another. We all go through times in our lives when we need someone to stand-up for us and be counted. Don’t be concerned about what others may think - or say - about you going to an officer for help. If for any reason, you feel that you need to inform staff about a person you are worried about. DO IT. – By Hayley

Be aware of the damage the sun can do. Be SMART. S Spend time in the shade between 11.00am and 3.00pm M Make sure you never burn A Aim to cover up with a t-shirt/hat R Remember to take extra care with children T Then use factor 15+ sunscreen or higher. – By Rachel

Four exercises to do in your cell 1. Press Ups (3 types) Start by doing three reps (repeats). Work up to 10 taking a 2-minute break in-between.

Box: Feet and knees together on the floor. Push your body up with your arms. This works the triceps, biceps and upper body muscles. Box Lever: Basically the same but cross your legs behind you and rise up. This works the pectoral majors, your ‘pecs’ (pectoralis major). Word of warning! Too many of these could result in a loss of your bust! Full Press Up: Elbows must be pointing backwards not outwards. Push all the way down touching the floor. 2. Lunges Adopt a wide stance. As you bring knee to floor back up, take a lunge, then hold. Breathe in as you go down. Hold your breathe and release as you come back. 3. Sit Ups (3 types) Starting with the easiest. Lie on your back with knees bent. Put your hands on thighs. Reach up to knees. A harder sit up is to keep hands the same but bring head and chest up. Harder still keep hands to the side of your temples. These work the abs (Rectus abdominis also known as the ‘six pack’). 4. Squats This works the thighs, hips, buttocks, hamstrings and quads. This exercise develops core strength and works the abs, shoulders and arms. Adopting the proper form is crucial to getting the benefit and not getting an injury. From a standing position with legs apart, bend knees and hips whilst lowering torso before returning to upright position. The muscles around your hips provide power from bottom. Don’t slide knees forward. Keep your toes slightly pointed out and – key to this move slowly without leaning too far forward. – By Keira Tyler

In the year HMP Send celebrates its 50th anniversary, LCF student Luke Craggs looks at the similarities between 1962 and 2012

Spooky Parallels! 1962 – 2012

The Beatles are rejected by Decca Records in January and apparently written off. They are later signed by EMI.

1962

2012

1962 2012

1962

Marilyn Monroe dies. Whitney Houston dies Dr No – the first James Bond film ever made is released becoming part of a trilogy that is ongoing today.

Skyfall the 23rd Bond movie comes out.

First use of silicone breast implants is hampered by scaremongering about the harm it can do women. Scandal of faulty implants of saline containing industrial silicone used for weather proofing bricks re-ignites the anti-plastic surgery debate.

2012

1962

The Beatles remain the bestselling musical act ever, selling more records than any other artist/act in history.

2012

1962

2012

1962

Riots break out over the admission of the first ever black student into the University of Mississippi.

America’s first black President, Barack Obama (elected 2009), a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, becomes the first president to advocate same sex marriage. In 1962 homosexuality was considered an ‘illness’ and was illegal. 2012

First ever US Rocket Ranger IV lands on the far side of the moon, triggering a bitterly fought‘space race’ between the USSR and US. A year earlier, Russian Yuri Gagarin had been the first human to journey to outer space. In 1969, American Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon – a feat no one believed would ever happen. 2012 Plans are being made to colonize the moon and have people living on it by 2020. You had better believe it! 1962

Vidal Sassoon cuts his first sharp geometric bob – a style which impacts on mainstream hairstyles throughout the decade and beyond. Vidal Sassoon dies.

By Charlie

What Style Means To Me

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

What was your first Memory of clothes?

Did it bother you that you stood out when you were growing up?

My Mum would try to make me wear dresses but let’s say I was somewhat resistant! She let me choose my own clothes for a school leaving party when I was eight years old and I picked this really loud patterned yellow and white shirt with a thin white tie. I felt dead cool! In the 1990s when I was a teen, baggy jeans, really lairy coloured hooded tops and Gazelle Adidas trainers came in, with bands like Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. I wore long, centre-parted hair, the sort you’d barely being able to see through, baggy dungarees, paisley shirts and shoes with beads on the laces.

I very much stood out in my hometown. I did receive a lot of negative attention but you know, I pride myself on being unique and an individual so I’d just take the stick. I’d never change the way I look. Not for anyone or anything.

Can you remember the first thing you bought that was precious to you? I bought a two-tone, single-breasted jacket from Portobello Market in London. I loved Levi retro Sta-Prest jeans. I had trousers in a maroon colour that I lived and died in. When I was around nineteen, I got a retro Savile Row shirt from a charity shop. The clothes I bought were cheap not expensive. I loved Farah trousers. I used to go to Mod shops in Carnaby Street.

What inspires you? I suppose I’ve always been inspired by music – rock stars. I’ve never been into one fixed kind of style because I like such a variety of music. I love the hippie era of the late 1960s and 1970s: Jim Morrison, leather jeans and beaded necklaces. I love bands like Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin. My friends and I were like throwbacks from this time… you know long, unkempt hair and electric guitars! A couple of years later I was dressing like a Mod in Sta-Prest trousers, button down shirts, tunic jackets, pork pie hats and a neat hair cut to match. I have always leaned towards a masculine/androgynous style.

What else has inspired you? Heavy metal and metal/rap band style like Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down. And skate-board clothes. There are always really cool skateboarding boutique shops. Here, clothes are very individual.

How would you describe your style? Quirky, artistic, bright, slick, sleek… and unique

Do you follow fashion or put your own spin on things? I do follow fashion to a certain extent. If I were outside I would be able to push my flamboyant side to the limits as I could shop for myself. Here, I just have to be inventive, you know, redesign my own clothes, accessorize. I do feel confident to just play around with fashion. I believe if you wear something with real confidence and conviction, you can carry off wearing anything. True?

Who do you admire in terms of style and fashion?

People seem to like the t-shirts I am creating, which with all honesty I am surprised at.

Tell us about the favourite pieces you are wearing today? I love my drop-crotch chinos of late. I will always love my Fred Perry t-shirts – you know the mod/skin-head style and my brogue shoes with bright laces…hair quiffed up to the max…

How many clothes do you own? I have a lot of clothes filling up my Dad’s loft. I hate only being allowed a limited amount in here but I swap it every three months so I don’t get bored or look the same.

How important are clothes to the person you are? Clothes are very important to me. They define the person I am and enable me to express myself and represent myself as a complete individual. I have a constant recurring nightmare of losing my clothes, people stealing my clothes etc. I interpret this as people trying to steal my identity. Losing myself completely.

I really love the way fashion’s going these days in that anything goes. The more way out, bizarre and unique the better. I love bright clashing colours and clashing patterns. I used to get slated for this but now it’s cool and ‘in’ but I’ve been doing it for an age! I think Andy Warhol was a cool dude. The Jam (Paul Weller). I love Ian Curtis from Joy Division (I dance a bit like him too). I like the Rockabilly tattooed and quiffed-up look. Vivienne Westwood (Sex Pistols era) and McQueen.

Has there ever been an attempt to stop you from expressing yourself via your style in Send?

How do you go about putting one thing with another?

If you want to break the mould and be different even if you are not confident, pretend. Walk with confidence. Walk with real conviction. Wear the clothes with confidence even if you don’t feel it inside. If others believe you’re confident then you are. You can wear anything. There will always be people who put you down, no matter what you do or where you are. Try not to care because you will command more respect in life for being different.

I colour co-ordinate without even realising. I try to mix all my clothes and accessories around so it doesn’t always look the same. I’m loving me dickie bows and braces at the moment. Got a real big quiff going on too. You know the Albert Einstein look. Dig it!

Can you describe how you make your own clothes and customise them? Where do you find inspiration? I flick through mags, art books and comic books. I find comic book snippets go down well. I like to look bold, bright and make a statement.

I have never been stopped from expressing myself in prison, albeit the limited amount of clothes feels as if I am being held back. If anything I get constant compliments from governors and staff for the way I present myself.

What advice might you give to someone who wanted to wear something that was different from everyone else but was not confident?

Fashion is (so much more than) Frocks By Laura Hayward, LCF

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

Agnes Lloyd-Platt

Images 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 15

Images 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14

This fashion shoot was to demonstrate the power of fashion and how it signifies far more than just keeping up with the latest trends. Fashion isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just about designer brands and 6â&#x20AC;? stilettos; it shows personality, inner strength, womanhood in its many guises... and courage. Fashion is about showing what you think, how you feel and who you are. The shoot offered a chance to build self-esteem, confidence, ideas, and glorify personal style. Women in prison are not just women in prison; they are women (first), in prison (second). During the shoot the women became individuals again. Re-creating who they feel they are now and who they want to be: stronger and better. Fashion can be about creating a fantasy world, escaping from reality but it can also be about starting over again too. Fashion is armour, protection, originality and ingenuity. Fashion has the ability to heal.

“It’s been over two years since someone told me ‘you look beautiful.”

Fighting Our Cause Help Available Within Send

Rapt: The rehabilitation for addicted prisoners trust

RAPt works to help people with drug and alcohol dependence, both in prison and in the community, move towards, achieve and maintain positive and fulfilling drug-free and crime-free lives. In 1992 RAPt founded the first drug treatment facility in a UK prison at Send. Today they are the leading provider of intensive, abstinence-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes in UK prisons, and provide high-quality drug and alcohol services to over 13,000 people every year within the criminal justice system and in the community.

How RAPt changed / saved my life

Before being incarcerated in May 2010, I was alcohol dependent and taking Subutex as I’d recently stopped using heroin and crack. My mental health was poor. I asked my local Borough if they would fund me for a rehabilitation programme for alcohol and drug addiction but was offered funding for a Detox programme only.

By AMM

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to Detox. I committed a crime whilst under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to 4 years in prison. Within my first year in prison, I’d brewed hooch twice, used heroin, traded tobacco for other inmate’s medication and smoked cannabis. I desperately wanted to stop using drugs and alcohol but didn’t know how. I was referred to the RAPt rehab Unit at HMP Send. I learned about the 12-step programme associated with AA, NA and CA fellowships. Whilst at RAPt I learned that addiction is a disease. I attended AA NA and CA meetings and met people who had stayed clean, some for 20 years by working the 12-step programme daily. RAPt gave me a safe, drug free environment with counsellors and peer supporters to help me with my treatment.

I learned to sit with my emotions instead of using substances to block out unwanted feelings. I engaged with my peers in workshops and group therapy. My mental health became stable and my desire to stay clean and sobre for the first time in 27 years became apparent. I graduated from treatment and become a peer supporter on the rapt unit. RAPt has changed my life and saved my life and also helped many other women like myself. I am so grateful RAPt not only helps with your recovery from addiction. It helps you in all areas of your life. I leaned to enjoy life without using and how to live life without repeating patterns of addictive attitudes and behaviour. I learned anger management, how to cope and deal with stressful situations and the advantages of letting go of resentments. RAPt is the only addiction treatment Unit in a women’s jail. There really should be more, as statistically alot of women are in jail solely because they’ve committed a crime to fund their drug habit. I am now on my way to second stage rehab. In the future I aspire to work with other addicts so I can help them too find recovery. I wrote a poem for my graduation entitled ‘Goodbye My Addict’

‘Goodbye My Addict’

By AMM

Hello my addict it’s me Anne Marie I want you to hear me, so listen to me You’ve been with me for 27 years Caused me pain and buckets of tears At the beginning I had control But you overpowered me and took my soul You pretended to love me as much as my mother But now I know that you’re the devil undercover When I first drank I had low tolerance A can of Tenants would boost my confidence Events in my life affected me 6 bereavements, one was my baby I became promiscuous and opened my legs

You gave me a test, you gave me a dare

Got low down dirty and had unsafe sex

You got me to lie to the G.P.

You was always there at the speed of light

Fake mental illness and past history

Morning, noon and every night

The doctor prescribed me some strong medication

I’d drink till I’m sick or in a coma

To get out of my nut was my bad intention

Never a moment was I ever sober

Sharing needles led me to Hep C, unsafe sex led to STD’s

My body needed drink, I was so dependent

Trapped in a web of insane behaviour

Shakes, cold sweats, you failed to mention

I got on my knees and prayed to my saviour

Then I progressed to doing the brown

Dear God help me to beat this addiction

All of the time you were around

I still took my meds, though a huge contradiction

Always pretending to be my good friend

God answered me, he heard my prayer

But jails, institutions and death was the end

He heard my fears and my despair

I died for a while and saw a bright light

He mapped a path to the RAPt Re-hab

I was resuscitated in the dark of the night

I signed to agree to the Unit Compact

Not once but twice you tried to take me

I came off the meds ‘cos I want to be clean

But if wasn’t my time to go you see

Now I’m a member and part of the team

‘Cos God was watching over me

I’ve worked through the steps

Mapped out my life for all to see

And opened G.T.

He mapped out a path and sent me to jail

And now the Rapt girls are my family

‘Cos out on the streets he knew I could fail

Now that it’s my Graduation Day

I came to prison; you’d fucked up my brain

There’s a couple of things that I’d like to say

Left me mad, crazy insane

Thank you to RAPt and Jesus my saviour

I saw a psychiatrist and here’s the diagnosis

For helping me change my old behaviour

Alcohol and drug induced psychosis

Goodbye my addict, I have the A.A.

Even then you was there

So you can FUCK OFF and go your own way

Fighting Our Cause Help Available Within Send

Contact: St Giles Trust, 64-68 Camberwell Church Street London, SE5 8JB. T. 020 7703 7000 / 020 7708 8000

St. Giles: reducing the likelihood of returning to prison Interview with Alison Drew Peer Call Centre Supervisor St. Giles Trust HMP Send By Billy

St. Giles Trust started out as a homeless charity and got involved with prisons 12 years ago because of the cycle of homelessness and re-offending. They believe in getting ex-offenders into housing and jobs. Issues they can help with include debt, finances, addiction, domestic abuse, housing, training, employment and starting a business. They have a whole range of projects. More than a third of paid staff are ex-offenders.

“Hi! I am part of a team of prisoners who work with the St. Giles Trust inside HMP Send. We provide an all-round advice and guidance service to prisoners face-to-face at HMP Send and also through our unique call centre where prisoners from other female prisons – Holloway and Downview – can speak to us on the telephone in confidence. You name it; we can signpost you to it! From housing issues, queries about sentencing, legal aid, where to go if you are being bullied, contacting external agencies if there are debts, or money worries. We don’t claim to be experts but we all have obtained an NVQ Level 3 in Advice and Guidance. This gives us the basic skills of listening and building empathy with clients so that they come to trust us and talk to us. We build up a picture of their lives and issues in order to point them in the right direction to other agencies and departments both inside and outside prison. I find the job empowering and satisfying. Women are so grateful when we sort out problems, which can seem overwhelming. Sometimes I find it hard when I listen to women’s’ life stories. So many of them have led chaotic, unsettled lives where they just ‘exist’ instead of living. They struggle to live a day at a time and often find themselves back in prison over and over again as they have no fixed address, no job, no family

support, no one to help them to get out of the hell hole they live in. Some women tell me that they commit crime just to get back to the safety of prison, as they would otherwise be sleeping on the streets, selling their bodies for drug money or being beaten or raped. All they want is someone to help them. To show them kindness and understanding. To show them some hope for the future. I am always pleased to listen to them. Being let out of prison with nowhere to live must be one of the scariest prospects ever. As a prisoner myself, I can understand and empathise with the emotions and feelings associated with being away from your children, family and friends. I try to give women as much information as I can when they telephone or call into the centre and do my best to help put them in touch with as many sources of assistance including contact numbers of other organisations for when they leave. The government always says that they want to stop reoffending and the ‘revolving doors of prison’ syndrome. St. Giles Trust is an amazing charity, which helps vulnerable men and women on release to start a new positive life. They believe, as I do, that everyone deserves a second chance. I am so proud to be a part of that team.

Fighting Our Cause Help Available Within Send

The Listener Scheme. Supported by the Samaritans and hm prison Service

The Listener Scheme is a peer support scheme whereby selected prisoners are trained and supported by Samaritans, using their same guidelines, to listen in complete confidence to their fellow prisoners who may be experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to self-harm or suicide. The first scheme began in HMP Swansea in 1991. Today there are 143 schemes in prisons across the UK and Ireland with 1,500 trained and dedicated Listeners offering around 100,000 face-to-face contacts with fellow prisoners who need their support. Writing a letter is an alternative for people who prefer to communicate in this way. If you need to write about how you are feeling, write to Samaritans at: Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, Chris, P.O. Box 90 90, Stirling, FK8 2SA

Thoughts from a Send listener By Rachel

When I first came into custody I was alone and desperate. I felt my whole world had imploded. The years stretched ahead of me like the deepest darkest tunnel with no light at the end. I had been separated from my support â&#x20AC;&#x201C; my family. It was like the worst dream that I would never wake from. It took me a long time to process my emotions and thoughts and being the person I am, I sought no help. Once in a better place I began to think what if I could help someone else in the same position to understand the same feelings that separation and custody bring? I had seen Listeners around the prison and heard from a number of people of the help and support they had been given, so I thought if I could help just one person I would be able to feel I was doing something positive with my time. I duly applied and was really excited to be accepted. The training by the Samaritans was intense but very interesting. Once I started on the rota, my learning began and I will always be grateful to one particular experienced Listener from whom I learnt so much.

There were good calls and frustrating calls, which required having to refrain from giving advice. But the feeling I got from the calls was of great satisfaction. There is great sadness sometimes to hear some of the dreadful experiences people have endured, but at the end of the day in prison we are all on an equal footing. How we cope is what makes us different, as are our past experiences. I have grown over the time I have been a Listener. It has provided me with the tools to cope. Listeners play an invaluable role in supporting people in custody and assist them from irrational decisions and actions. I continue to learn on every call and try to assist people throughout the rest of my time in custody. Without this scheme I am certain that the number of suicides and cases of self-harm would be considerably higher. Whatever you have done, Whatever life has done to you, Speak to a Listener, Or call the Samaritans, No names, No pressure, No judgment, Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for you any time.

14 Tops

LCF student Poppy Koumis, and her sister Tamsin, hit the West End to track down the perfect pieces prisoners can request from family and friends. 1. My Dollar top Topshop, £22.00

13. Print t-shirt asos.com, £10.00

2. Bow Peep top Topshop, £20.00

14. Pink cross top Topshop, £18.00

3. Bird of Paradise top Topshop, £20.00

19. Black and white print trousers New Look, £17.99

4. Pink beaded cami, £42.00 Jacket, £38.00 (both Topshop)

20. Salmon pink skirt Zara, £25.00

5. Camouflage knit jumper Topshop, £36.00

21. Green draw-string skirt Topshop, £18.00

6. Animal print top Topshop, £34.00

22. Blue skirt Topshop, £38.00

7. Marilyn Monroe top Topshop, £20.00

23. Black skirt Topshop, £15.00

8. Neon aztec print top New Look, £9.99

24. Print leggings Topshop, £22.00

9. Zip print top New Look, £19.99

25. Blue and turquoise trainers New Look, £9.99

10. Pink t-shirt New Look, £4.99

28. Sailor striped pumps New Look, £9.99

11. Black lace t-shirt H&M, £14.99

26. Candy striped pumps New Look, £9.99

12. Floral heart t-shirt H&M, £7.99

27. Black studded pumps New Look, £17.99

Shoes

Bottoms

Visiting – Time Preface Prison. Some people’s nightmare and some people’s reality. Of the many factors that contribute to an inmate’s life, visiting time plays a HUGE part. Keeping in touch with children, husbands, girlfriends, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles etc, can be an absolute pleasure or hard work, or both. Visiting time can mean the upkeep of contact, the building blocks and lifeline to maintaining relationships. It offers flashbacks and glimpses of the outside world. It can determine hope and despair, excitement and frustration. No woman feels the same although of course there are similarities, like the universal pressure felt to put up the cover of pretense that everything is alright, (“yes, everything really is alright”). The first thing you must learn in prison is how to be very (very) brave.

By Laura Hayward Inmate A: Standard (currently appealing for enhanced) “I have one visit per year with my little boy because of his behavioral problems. That’s what has been advised. The problem is of course that his behavioral problems have arisen because he’s not seeing his mummy. Me. “During my sentence here I’ve seen my mum for the first time in 10 years, and my 19-yearold sister. I get very nervous and excited. The two-hour visit flies by. I put on a front because I don’t want to show true or real emotions because if I’m okay then they’re okay; it’s just too painful. In some respects I feel fake, because I’m pretending to be something that I’m not. “Not being able to get up or move in the visiting room is hard, even though children are allowed to sit on my lap so you can hug and kiss them. “My little boy gets nervous when he is allowed to come in and see me. He won’t talk about coming to see me, or how he feels. He expresses it in a different way. For example, he will build something from a piece of Lego, and when my mum asks, “what are you doing?” he’ll say, “I’m building a prison, Nanny.”

“My son worries about me. What I’m eating. What my cell is like. So I always make out everything is okay. I’ve been told that before he sees me, he shuts himself away. And cries. He stays with my mum every weekend and he’s not pushed to talk about how he feels. He’s actually opened up more now he’s seen me, so he can picture where I actually am in his little mind and it’s not such a mystery. The ends of the visits are very hard. When the warden shouts out, “You’ve only got five minutes,” that’s tough.” Inmate B “At first, I found it hard to sit and make conversation as I didn’t really know my family. Now it’s a lot easier and there are no uncomfortable silences. I haven’t got any children and I’m pleased because if I did I that would make it even harder. “This sentence has saved my life. If I’d got a short sentence I wouldn’t have done the work on myself that I have and get the therapy I needed. I like to keep my mind focused in here. Before, I shut myself off completely but now I’m able to watch TV, read newspapers and am more settled about being in prison. “Sometimes I think my life is better in here because it feels safer. I’m the first person in my family to go to prison so I think my family has found that tough. Looking back, I think I actually re-offended to get back into prison. It’s hard to admit I chose to do what I did. I made this my reality.” Inmate C: Standard “I partly look forward to visits but the other part of me feels bored. I’ve been in prison for a while now and visits feel very routine, almost like there really isn’t that much else to talk about. We just talk about the same stuff over and over… I do enjoy seeing my little cousins. Children seem to be a very big lifter for people within prison. I buy phone credit every week so I can call people as well.”

Inmate E : Enhanced “The visits feel like a day out. I’ve reconciled with my family now. I hadn’t spoken to some members for thirteen years. I think they now understand why I am in prison and what caused me to be here. I feel like I am rebuilding relationships. I find it very hard to say goodbye when my little girl comes to visit. You can see she doesn’t really understand what’s going on, so I’ve got to look like I’m okay and always put on my brave face.” Inmate F Feeling excited. Happy, smiley, friendly faces. Family and friends. Really looking forward to seeing them. Hugs and kisses. Joking and laughing. Eating chocolate, sweets and drinking fizzy drinks. Catching up on gossip. Feeling that you have escaped prison life for just two hours. Feeling a part of the future. Making plans and seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Feeling normal again. The support I get from family and friends is so amazing. They have helped me get through my sentence. Their visits mean so much. To know they still love and think of me is the most wonderful feeling. I thank them so much for giving up their time to come in and see me. I know it’s not easy for them as they really do worry about how low I am. They have never been in a prison and know nothing of prison life, only what they see on the telly.

Inmate D

I always make sure I look my best. Dress in my best clothes and remain happy and positive. I never tell then anything bad about what goes on. They really don’t need to know. I want them to go home knowing I’m happy and safe so they don’t have to worry about me. I have put them through enough already.

“I prefer ‘family days’ because you get to spend a decent amount of time with your family and be a mum properly. Normal visiting hours are just too short to get into the swing of things.”

Saying goodbye is hard as time goes so quickly and you always forget to ask or talk about something because you are so busy chatting. But there is always next time!

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

2012 Send has a capacity of 282 prisoners. The capacity includes a 20 bed Addictive Treatment Unit; 80 bed Resettlement Unit and a 32 bed Therapeutic Community. HMP Sendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Education Department runs Key Skills courses and NVQs in Business Administration, Hospitality and Hair and Beauty. The Farms and Gardens department offers horticulture NVQs and the Works Department run a painting party. Prisoners held in the Resettlement Unit can also do voluntary work, attend college courses and work placements in the outside community.

HMP Send provides a supportive environment for prisoners to explore and change behaviours relating to their offending. Send inmates in collaboration with Watts Gallery and KPMG will display artwork in the foyer of Aurora hotel, Heathrow. Send to open a Fashion Design and Textiles Workshop in collaboration with Sue Ryder. The workshop will give NVQs covering a range of modules with an aim to establish links with employers around tailoring for repairs and alterations, as well as recycled clothes, with associated experience in retail and customer services.

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

Gardens By Hayley Freedom, fresh air and flowers. A rare privilege in prison. In my opinion HMP Send’s gardens are the best place to work. I actually work on the recycling team but still have a great admiration for all the hard work and brilliance created here.

If you choose to work in the gardens, there is the opportunity to gain up to a level 2 in horticulture. Trusted prisoners can also work outside the prison gates maintaining the perimeter. With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee upon us, a few of the ‘garden ladies’ have created Jubilee-themed flowerbeds. They have also created flowers bed celebrating HMP Send’s 50 years. My personal favourite? The Union Jack design. Nice work girls. None of the above would be possible if it weren’t for our hardworking supervisors. So - Roger, Frank, Norman and Sophie - on behalf of both the recycling and garden ladies, thank you for all you do. Special thanks go also to Roger and Sophie for the flowers and help with the photo shoot regardless of the short notice…twenty minutes to be precise!

By Sophia Baker, LCF

One elderly Send prisoner recalls world events of the past 50 years, which made an impact on her. Although not all the events happened in her lifetime many were still significant enough to remain in her memory long afterâ&#x20AC;Ś

1963: The assassination of President John. F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Although this happened in America, it made news globally and reached the prisoner in her tiny village. Although she had no access to a television she did possess a radio so was not entirely isolated from world events. She remembers visiting her father-in-law in hospital with her young daughter when the news broke. To put a scale on how devastating it was she likened it to the death of Princess Diana. 1966: The tragedy of Aberfan, Wales. This was a catastrophic event that stayed at the forefront of her mind. On hearing the story one can begin to understand why. Aberfan is a small mining village in South Wales. The miners would deposit huge piles of loose rock and mining spoil into a huge pile, which eventually turned into a mountain. Although warned time and time again that these piles were unstable and could collapse at any time, concerns fell on deaf ears. This pile of slack did eventually collapse early one Friday morning, covering the nearby school in the valley and wiping out nearly a whole generation of children and teachers too. This had a devastating effect on the villagers and weirdly, the parents whose kids coincidently were off school sick that day and therefore survived. There was a lot of guilt and depression felt from both sides. Although the parents were compensated, it never did fill the void left by the incompetence of the mining company. The school has since been moved outside of the village. The mine closed in 1989.

SEND 50 YEARS: I Remembe

1945: The bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. During the final months of World War II, 166,000 people died, and many more suffered radiation sickness and various forms of cancer following an atomic bomb being dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. One girl, Sadako Saski, was diagnosed with Leukaemia. While she was in hospital a friend visited her. This friend folded her a traditional origami crane. In Japan this is very symbolic because cranes are sacred birds and legend has it if you fold a thousand a wish is granted to you. Sadako decided she would make a huge crane and started folding them with whatever paper she could find. By the time Sadako died, she had folded 644; friends completed many more. A happier memory was actually born out of tragedy. 1958: The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peace Monument is unveiled in Hiroshimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peace Park. Every year on August 8th all over the world, people make origami cranes and send them to the park to remember the children who died as a result of the atomic bombs. This story was of particular interest to the inmate because she studied origami and has an interest in arts and crafts.

It was a pleasure listening to the prisoner recall events from her memories, all very interesting and informative, that one would usually hear about in history lessons.

Prison Lingo By Heidi

I was always taught the Queen’s tongue. But jail lingo is much more fun. Sort out my prop what I’m allowed in. Told about listeners and issued a pin. Handed a bag full of prison issue. A tear streams down. Offered a tissue. “You’ll live on House Block One or Two. If you are pregnant then the M.B.U.” “What you got? Did you crutch any gear?” These are not things I’d usually hear. You can be on basic, standard or enhanced. But a screw will take it given a chance. “This is an app, put it in that box. You can ask for whatever – prison issue socks.” We’re all here to do our bird. Plead guilty, they knock off a third. It’s all about canteen, getting your burn. A-Spur, B-Spur waiting their turn. That girl there got caught with a rock. She’ll be doing two weeks down the block. Never knew about Vallys or Zoppy. But she’s taken something; she’s gone all floppy. A girl is staring; she likes the look of my veins. She’s seriously clucking and looks in pain. Got an appointment to see O.M.U. She gives me a list of things to do. A girl is bleeding, straight on the book. She’s cut up, can’t help but look. Want to see a doctor, I feel sick. “You ain’t going nowhere without a movement slip!” Learning what to do to avoid getting bent up. Anything’s a weapon, even a cup. You don’t want a nicking or adjudication. Here comes the timetable, I’ve got education. Time for a rub down, but what did I do? “They’re doing it to everyone, not just you.” Free flow to work, or stay on the wing. Come two o’clock you can visit the gym. Girls are fit and muscles hench. I’ll give that a miss and sit on the bench. There’s always a queue around the phone. “Come ‘on, hurry up, I want to phone home.” Allowed a visit once a week. They can buy chocolate, a special treat. Open, Closed, Parole, I.P.P. These phrases are all brand new to me. Lock down. Roll check. Soc’ is the best. But when it’s bang-up; time to rest. So here I am stuck in jail. With 500 girls, all sadly failed.

Photography: Kevin Jude Walters

London College of Fashion would like to thank each of the magazine’s contributors for illustrating the wider influence that fashion can have on peoples’ lives and for demonstrating our belief that fashion education can be a transforming force. The informal approach to education that this magazine offered within the prison environment has built self-esteem and developed self-confidence in each of the participants. Furthermore, the project has made many realise that they have skills and opportunities ahead which they had not previously recognised, resulting in a number of participants now working towards the very real possibility of gaining a higher education qualification upon release. LCF and Sir John Cass’s Foundation would therefore like to thank each of the staff and inmates at HMP Send for allowing this new approach to education to take place.

Printed by HMP Maidstone Printshop T. 01622 775441

Photography: Agnes Lloyd-Platt

Supported by: