Coldingley only accepts residents with a minimum of 2 years to their release date. They must be prepared to work full-time and willing to take part in development programmes, for example with The Forward Trust’s 12 step programme.
GFSL is demonstrating its commitment to one of its core objectives – rehabilitation and reducing offender rates. Despite facing extreme challenges during the COVID pandemic, prisoners can access a wide range of work experience across Coldingley’s industrial complex which operates within the five acre prison site.
HMPPS operates a state of the art, £5 million Coldingley printing press, capable of producing high quality signs, printed materials and metalwork at the most competitive prices on a not-for-profit basis. It employs around 20 instructor staff and 100 prisoners.
“In terms of GFSL’s contribution to the prisoners, we’re currently offering valuable working experience to around seven prisoners at Coldingley. They range from handyman to electrical positions providing new technical skills which are transferable in today’s construction and manufacturing sectors’ says GFSL’s Site Manager, Adrian Page.
‘Some prisoners are allowed to train for formal qualifications and go on to secure paid employment after their sentence has been served.’ he added.
Alongside this, is a one acre engineering plant operated by HMPPS which employed 100 working prisoners prior to the COVID pandemic. The HMPPS run workshops design and produce a variety of bespoke metalworks. Many are produced for the prison estate like lockers and signs. They even make the cell doors (but not the locks).
Last year, they employed designers and craftsmen to develop bespoke pieces from scratch to any specification, using modern software run machinery.
Finally, there are smaller workshops fully managed by GFSL such as the carpentry workshop which carries out vital maintenance and repair work throughout HMP Coldingley.
They also offer vocational training via the CRED programme which has successfully led to ex-prisoners being offered full time jobs after serving their sentence.
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