On 7th March, Jenny Hart, our Regional Coordinator in the East of England, and Peter Norman, Operations Lead, made the first visit to HMP Whitemoor, by Care after Combat. The following is Jenny’s interesting summary of the visit:
Set in the Cambridgeshire countryside, Whitemoor is a Category A male prison which holds over 400 of the most serious and long-term male offenders. As one would expect of a Cat A, security was extremely tight – nothing goes in and nothing comes out without extensive searching and fingerprints, and several very large dogs were in evidence!
We were hosted by Danny, a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT). Our visit started with the privilege of being allowed to observe the SMT Morning Meeting. It was very interesting to see all the complexities involved in the management of such an establishment. What was also interesting to note, was the level of dedication among the staff to ensure that all prisoners are treated with dignity and care.
Danny then took us on a tour of two very different wings. The residential units are all in a T shape, with three spurs coming off a central area. The first unit we visited was clean and bright but quite stark and contained a ‘Pipe’ spur, where offenders coming out of segregation are given time to adjust to being back in the general population before being returned to a normal unit. Given that many of these men are serving very long sentences, everything is done gradually, and progress is closely monitored.
We then went to the Fens Unit – what a contrast. This is Whitemoor’s small Therapeutic Community where offenders are given more responsibility and trust. The unit was comfortable, with sofas and armchairs in communal areas, and staff clearly work hard to build positive and supportive relationships with the prisoners. As a result, there is an air of calm about the place, and we spoke to several prisoners in a relaxed environment. It is important to note that offenders are expected to engage with therapy, accept responsibility and confront reality, which can be quite challenging for some.
There are challenges ahead regarding the delivery of Care after Combat services, not least the identification of veterans in such an establishment. But with the support of Danny and other staff at the establishment, we look forward to supporting veterans at that location.
It was a fantastic visit, and we would like to thank Danny and all the staff at HMP Whitemoor for their support and extremely warm welcome.
