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• Inside Time Reports
• 13th December 2014
• Male Local , Male YOI , Prison Visit , West Midlands

Prison information

Address: HMP BIRMINGHAM Winson Green Road, Birmingham, B18 4AS Switchboard: 0121 598 8170 Managed by: HMPPS Region:  Central Category:  Male Link to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/birmingham-prison

Description

Birmingham Prison is a men’s prison in the Winson Green area of Birmingham.

Visit Booking: Online

Use this online service to book a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can book a visit.

You’ll get an email confirming your visit. It takes 1 to 3 days.

ID: Every visit

Children’s Visits:

Acceptable forms of ID

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HMP WINCHESTER

3 thoughts on “ hmp birmingham ”.

Inmates getting stabbed poor security David Cameron will take action soon

Dear Mohammed, violence is increasing in Her Majesty’s Hate Factories/Human Warehouses, not surprising when human beings are locked into concrete boxes for prolonged periods, allowed out of the toilet cubicle for a few hours each day to jump through a hoops, so they are not put on Basic Regimes. The screw loves nothing better than to lock scumbag prisoners up in barren cells, with nothing to occupy their time. This supposedly teaches them not to reoffend. In my humble opinion, it teaches ignorance and inconsideration, how to abuse and degrade others. The wall is the punishment, everything else is wicked abuse.

Not happy with service or staff in the prison we want it ivvestigated

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• Contact Halow
• 0121 707 1008

(Birmingham)

H elp & A dvice L ine

for O ffenders

W ives, Partners

and Families

Welcome to HALOW (Birmingham)’s website.  The charity has a long history of supporting the needs or prisoners, their children, families and significant others in the Midlands.

Following the policy decision of G4S UK to take Visitors’ Centres and Family Services in-house, HALOW (Birmingham) transferred all staff and operations to G4S UK at HMP Five Wells in July 2023 and  HMP Oakwood Family Pathway Centre in October 2023.  Services continue seamlessly at both prisons and we know our former staff continue to provide all services to the highest quality under these new arrangements.

Our website will continue to provide some information about services previously operated by HALOW (Birmingham) at  HMP Birmingham Visitor ,  HMP Five Wells and  HMP Oakwood Family Pathway Centre , with essential contact details for visitors.

National Prisoner’s Families Helpline

The National Prisoner’s Families Helpline –  https://www.prisonsersfamilies.org   – offers up to date information through their website and  Freephone 0808 808 2003 .

Opening Hour: Monday to Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm.

Our Services 2024

Going forward, HALOW (Birmingham) will be developing new, partnership based projects to invest in young people at risk of becoming engaged with the criminal justice system, or at a point in their lives where additional resources if available, could impact critical life choices positively.

I think the staff are the best ever. Helpful and so polite. They are the best we have been to

Keep up the good work ladies!

The success of the charity is down to the dedication and hard work of all our staff teams.

"Another brilliant day - very useful to learn first aid and good to know what to do if baby or anyone was choking. So grateful to be part of such a rewarding course. Great bonding time, thank you" (Jolly Tots Programme for prisoner, partner and children 0-2 years)

To all of you, thank you so much for your help and support and general kindness throughout this hard time. You are doing a wonderful job. Love and thanks.

Staff are brill; go above and beyond

All services provided are extremely helpful. Staff are polite, helpful and understanding. Keep up the great work and thank you for your support

HALOW Case Studies & News

Families & friends of HMP Birmingham survey

Please can domestic visitors of HMP Birmingham follow the link below and complete this survey. The survey is only short, consisting of 7 questions. Thanking you in advance. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/52TNQXK  

A family from the travelling community has been attending Homework Club at HMP Oakwood FPC each Tuesday evening for 12 months; within the family are two boys aged 5 and 3. The elder boy would enter the centre initially quite boisterous, running in and out of the play area, around the tables where people eat, pushing his little brother around on a

A young mother was observed with two small children. The eldest (2 years old) was seen to be running around, letting himself out of the doors, taking toys from other children and not responding to his mothers requests. The Children’s Worker (CW) talked with the mother and found out the child had autism – she explained he struggled wit

Macmillian Cake and Coffee afternoons

The Staff and visitors at HMP Oakwood Family Pathway Centre rasied a total of £253 during our Macmillan cake and coffee afternoons, “thank you for your support to a good cause”. for more information visit Macmillan’s website: www.macmillan.org.uk

HMP Oakwood's Community Engagement

Over the last few weeks, the children have been creating their own tree decorations for the HMP Oakwood Family Pathway Christmas Tree. Once dressed, the FPC tree took part in a Christmas Tree Festival at a local church near to Stafford. Over 40 trees were exhibited in the church over the weekend of the 2nd to the 4th December 2016. The FPC tree was

Xmas Arts and Crafts

Over the past few weeks the children have been making and personalising their own stockings to display next to the Oakwood fire place in the Family Pathway Centre, create a warm relaxing display.

HALOW BIRMINGHAM is grateful for support from

HMP Birmingham

Tel: 0121 598 8000  –  Winson Green Road Birmingham B18 4AS

HMP Birmingham dates back to the Victorian era, and was built in 1849. It’s situated in Winson Green, close to the centre of the city; and is a category B  prison for remand and sentenced adult males. The prison is privately run by GS4, and is also one of the largest in the UK, with the capacity to hold 1,450 inmates. It currently runs an education programme, which is offered by Derby College. If you need directions to HMP Birmingham, simply refer to the map on this page.

Tel: 0121 598 8000

Operational capacity: 1,450 (01/10/11)

Winson Green Road Birmingham B18 4AS

Prison Phone have been helping the inmates of HMP Birmingham save around 75% on their calls to friends and family members.

You can help any Birmingham prison inmate save BIG too, just sign up to one of our affordable price plans and you will be well on your way to receiving longer more frequent calls from your loved one!

Send me Birmingham prison details via FREE SMS

Mobile number:

Here’s some facts about Birmingham Prison

HMP Birmingham is located close to the city center of Birmingham. It is a category B prison which holds adult males. The prison is run by G4S , and is one of the largest in the UK, with the capacity to hold 1450 inmates. G4S assumed ownership in 2011.

A riot occured in December 2016 causing approximately £2 million of damage to four wings in the prison. It lasted 12 hours. Up to 240 prisoners were moved out of the jail on the 17th December.

Fred West spent his last 8 months in HMP Birmingham after being sent in on remand. He commuted suicide in his cell on 1st January 1995 before he could go on trial.

To view the latest inspection report, click here

Visits are every day. Monday-Friday visits are 09:00 to 11:45 (9:00 to 10:00 and 10:45 to 11:45 on Thu), 14:00 to 16:00, and 18:00 to 19:30 (Tue, Wed, Thu). On Saturday or Sunday visits are between 8:30 and 9:45, 10:15 and 11:45, and 15:00 to 16:00.

HMP Birmingham was the first privatised prison in the UK.

Charlie Wilson actually escaped from HMP Birmingham in 1964. He was recaptured in 1968.

Notable prior inmates include Fred West, Charlie Wilson, who was involved in the Great Train Robbery, and even Ozzy Osbourne!

Prison Phone offers phone tariffs that reduce the costs of calls from this prison by up to 75%! This enables prisoners to get the support and love that they are missing from home, while reducing costs for the inmate. Find out more below.

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HMP Birmingham, General Information

HMP Birmingham is a local prison with a total of 11 residential wings. The original Victorian wings were built in 1849 and these have been added to by more modern accommodation, most recently in 2004, which includes four new wings, a health centre, a gym, an education centre and workshops. There are specific wings for older prisoners, detoxification, sex offenders and vulnerable prisoners, and those new to the establishment.

Birmingham is the first-ever British public sector prison to be transferred into the private sector estate, with G4S managing the 15-year contract since October 2011. The prison was damaged in a serious disturbance in December 2016 and has undergone some refurbishment.

Shortly after an Urgent Notification was issued by HMI Prisons in 2018, HMPPS decided to take over the running of the prison temporarily. HMPPS replaced the G4S director with a public sector prison governor, reduced the prisoner population and provided additional public sector prison staff. In April 2019, the government announced its decision to place the prison under permanent public sector control and end the G4S contract from July 2019.

The prison is part of the West Midlands Group and has a capacity of 977 and the #1 governor since April 2019 is Paul Newton

  The accommodation comprises

• A, B and C wings: closed for refurbishment.
• D wing: drug recovery wing.
• G wing: enhanced level prisoners.
• J wing: older prisoners.
• K and L wings: main population.
• M wing: drug treatment unit.
• N wing: prisoners convicted of sexual offences.
• P wing: early days and induction wing.
• Health care: inpatient unit and clinics

Return to HMP Birmingham

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Gian M. Volpicelli

After Birmingham, here's how we can redesign our broken prisons

Cockroaches, rats, fleas. Puddles of blood and vomit. Clouds of drug fumes pervading the air. Scared guards barricading themselves in their offices. Some of the scenes described in the Chief Inspector of Prisons’ report on the HMP Birmingham prison read like the script of a dungeon-themed B-movie.

The penitentiary rose to infamy in December 2016, following 12 hours of rioting. This year’s surprise inspection revealed such a poor state of affairs that the government decided to forcibly take over the prison from G4S, the security company that had been managing it since 2011.

The HMP Birmingham debacle cannot be chalked up to a single factor: staff inexperience, widespread drug abuse, and mindless cost-cutting all played a role. But it is also a story of old, bad design festering into disaster.

Built in 1849, HMP Birmingham is a classic Victorian prison: huge (up to 1,450 prisoners), grim, and forbidding. As many as thirty penitentiaries across England and Wales, erected during or before the 19th century, do — despite recent expansions and renovations — still fit that architectural mould.

It is what we could call the Porridge mould: a high-ceilinged central corridor surrounded by rows of cells on both sides, sometimes stacked on multiple floors parted by sturdy netting. Inmates tend to stay in their cells, as communal areas are harder for officers to surveil — besides being stark, visually uninspiring, and austerely furnished. Windows are small, with bleak views, and they let through little light, which is instead provided by blunt halogen lamps.

“Victorian prisons’ functional requirements were heavily influenced by the Panopticon,” says Roland Karthaus, an architect at London-based practice Matter Architecture, who has extensively researched prison design. Proposed in the 18th century by philosopher Jeremy Bentham, the Panopticon was a project for an ideal, wheel-shaped prison that would allow a few guards to watch all the inmates from a central observation point — the wheel’s hub — without revealing their presence.

By Carlton Reid

By Emily Mullin

By Andy Greenberg

By Scott Gilbertson

“It wasn't just about making observation easy, it was about making the prisoners believe that they were being constantly observed, so that they'd be self-policing. It was environmental psychology.”

If your objective is to punish inmates rather then re-educate them, Victorian prisons work: they are relatively cheap to run, and easy to monitor, provided that you have enough staff.

They work less well if you care about the wellbeing of people spending times within prison walls — be they inmates, guards or visitors. Scarce natural light plus constant artificial lighting mess with one’s mood and sleep pattern; poor ventilation and insufficient insulation from noise are a recipe for stress; constant dullness can break inmates’ spirit, and exacerbate pre-existing mental health problems. “The demand for drugs in prison is particularly high because prisoners are not able to get out of their cells and do meaningful activities,” Karthaus says.

The Porridge model remained Britain’s standard for decades. It was only in the post-War period that it had a lapse in popularity. In the 1960s, a new wave of civic architecture sparked a rethink of what a prison building should be about: the idea that it should promote rehabilitation over retribution led to the disappearance of the hub-spoke layout.

New prisons resembled small villages, comprising several buildings and communal areas, while the interiors featured shorter corridors, lower ceilings and softer floorings for noise insulations. The shift was not without complications : the more hospitable layouts produced halls with blind spots, and the lower ceilings tempted prisoners to yank security cameras off. But the death-knell for that phase was something else: the advent of Private Finance Initiative under New Labour.

“Prison design essentially became a financial exercise,” says Karthaus. “There's no architectural intent: it's become a mass warehouse exercise.” Private companies’ longing for maximum efficiency inevitably brought the Victorian model back. Even if — unlike older redbrick nicks — new prisons were built far from city centres and tended to have better security, the structure was unmistakable. “If you look at them from the air — the house blocks, the wings are organised as Victorian prisons were. They've gone back to that layout,” Karthaus says.

Last year, while working on a report on prison design, Karthaus visited the biggest prison in Britain —and in Europe— the brand-new HMP Berwyn in Wales, which opened in February 2017.

Many of the problems he and his coauthors pointed out in the report were bizarrely familiar: bad ventilation, tiny cells, windows with no external views, constant noise, and a quasi-impossibility for inmates to navigate the structure without a guard escorting them through multiple deadlocked gates. Given Berwyn’s ostensible security level — C, which indicates prisoners are unlikely to try to escape — such measures seem excessive, and according to the report, they exasperate both inmates and guards.

According to Yvonne Jewkes, a criminologist specialised in the architecture of prisons, this overly policed environment is a consequence of a precise policy choice, dubbed “future-proofing”. The idea is that, at some point in the future, Britain would go through a serious crime wave, and the consequent arrest of a multitude of extremely dangerous criminals.

“By building and running medium security prisons as high-security prisons, they would hypothetically be able to put high-security prisoners there without the need for expensive retrofitting,” Jewkes says. “In practical terms, that means that you can't walk more than a few metres without another gate or internal fence that needs to be unlocked for you.”

The same kind of bracing-for-the-worse thinking is behind many modern prisons’ predilection for hyperfunctional, no-frills furniture and fittings. “Almost everything in a prison is designed to be indestructible,” Karthaus says. “And that psychologically just encourages you to destroy.” He recalls how, at Berwyn, all prisoners are given laptops upon arrival; when he visited last year, he was surprised to see that the laptops were just thin, fragile machines, rather than the bomb-proof contraptions he had expected. “One prisoner told me: ‘We look after our laptops, because if we break them we don't get another one’,” Karthaus says. Inmates are not into smashing for smashing's sake.

Kartahue says that, in a way, companies building the new prisons are playing by the rules: as of today, a prison’s main legal requirement is to keep prisoners secure. Rehabilitation is an ancillary objective, and one that has not been well-defined in law yet. In 2016, then Lord Chancellor Michael Gove had tried to put rehabilitation at the centre of his project for prison reform— but he ended up on the backbench following the EU referendum, although some of his talking points were included in a later white paper .

For now at least, we are stuck with this idea of prison — and with these prison designs. They don’t work: for evidence, look no further than Birmingham, or Berwyn itself—whose governor was sacked just a couple of days ago; or have a look at statistics showing that reoffending rates are at 44 per cent within a year of release.

There is no lack of alternatives. Prisons in Scandinavia and the Netherlands have been built on the idea that jails work best when they do not look as such. The Bastoy prison in Norway, a village-like structure where inmates can move freely, sunbathe, tend to cows and ride horses, is the poster boy for the category. But something similar is happening much closer to home.

Scotland’s Low Moss prison — which opened in the outskirts of Glasgow in the 1960s but was completely renovated in 2012 — is designed more like a sports facility, or a school, than as a total institution. It is sleek, bright, and tastefully furnished. Its visitor room features colourful play areas for children. More generally, the Scottish government seems to be doing away with massive penitentiaries, in favour of smaller structures: two 20-people mini-prisons for women are scheduled to open by 2020, while plans for a larger prison in Inverclyde were shelved in 2015.

“Low Moss is not comparable [to Berwyn],” Karthaus says. “I am not convinced that the operations were particularly good — but the design was much better, a really good demonstration of what could be achieved.”

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

Andy Greenberg

Matt Burgess

Scott Gilbertson

Reece Rogers

Jared Keller

Kate O'Flaherty

HMP Birmingham

New Leaf has been working in partnership with HMP Birmingham to deliver two services supporting prison leavers, their friends and family.

Peer Led Departure Lounge – to support returning citizens back into the community, across a range of needs, in an effort to ‘break the cycle’ of reoffending.

Departure Lounge Evaluation Report

Peer Led Visitor Centre (Funded by Barrow Cadbury Trust) – to support the friends and family of prisoners in HMP Birmingham with any issues they faced with prison visits.

Visitors Council Report

Funders, Partners and Accreditations

Out of hours and emergency contact

To contact us outside of normal office hours or in an emergency please click the button below which will take you through to WhatsApp Chat.

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• Crime, justice and law
• Prisons and probation

Hewell Prison

Hewell is a men’s prison in the village of Tardebigge, near Redditch in Worcestershire.

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey .

Book and plan your visit to Hewell

To visit someone in Hewell you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There is a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have which varies by prisoner. You can check this with Hewell.

Contact Hewell if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit , including:

• travel to Hewell
• somewhere to stay overnight

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online , by email to [email protected] or by telephone.

Telephone booking line: 0300 060 6503 Find out about call charges

The booking line is open:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday: midday to 5pm
• Tuesday and Thursday: 9am to 5pm

Visiting times:

• Monday: 1:15pm to 4pm
• Wednesday: 1:15pm to 4pm
• Friday: 8:45am to 11am
• Saturday: 8:45am to 11am
• Sunday: 8:45am to 11am

How to book legal and professional visits

To book a visit, email: [email protected] or you can book by telephone.

Booking line: 0300 060 6503 Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Find out about call charges

Visiting times

• Monday to Friday: 9am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4:30pm.

To arrange a prison video link, you must call.

Telephone: 01527 785 309 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm Find out about call charges

Video link appointment times are Monday to Friday, 9am to 11:30am and 2pm to 4:30pm.

Getting to Hewell

Find Hewell on a map

Hewell is about 3 miles from Redditch station, where you can catch a local bus to Tardebigge. The bus drops you off about a mile from the prison. Alternatively, you can take a taxi.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

If coming by car, use the postcode B97 6QQ for sat nav.

There is a visitors car park outside the prison, including space for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Hewell

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison .

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

Hewell has a family-friendly dress code policy which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away if you are wearing see-through or revealing clothing like vests, low-cut tops or high-cut shorts or dresses. Additionally, you cannot wear hoodies or anything with offensive patterns or slogans.

Each adult visitor is allowed to take in a maximum of £20 in coins (notes are not allowed). The money can be used to buy food and drink from the snack bar in the visiting hall.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Hewell. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats. A pushchair can be provided by Hewell if required.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is a visitors centre run by Barnardo’s. Family and friends can relax, buy refreshments and get advice and support from the staff.

The centre includes a play area for children.

The centre is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm and on Sunday from midday to 5pm.

Family days

There are currently no family days being run.

Keep in touch with someone at Hewell

There are several ways you can keep in touch with someone during their time at Hewell.

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service .

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Hewell using the Email a Prisoner service .

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Hewell.

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Hewell .

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison .

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you:

• are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet
• do not have a debit card

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

Prisoners can apply to the governor for permission to receive a parcel of clothing when they first arrive at Hewell. Otherwise, property is generally not permitted to be posted or handed in. You can send prisoners money instead which they can use to buy items through a catalogue system.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.

For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F .

Life at Hewell

Hewell is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Hewell has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website .

Arrival and first night

When someone first arrives at Hewell, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Each prisoner who arrives at Hewell gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Over 1,000 prisoners live at Hewell across 6 house blocks.

Facilities include a library and gym.

Hewell has a diverse, multi-faith chaplaincy team providing support to prisoners.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to a broad programme of classes, training and work.

The education and training is provided by Novus . A wide range of accredited courses are offered, including English, maths, painting and decorating and tiling.

Work opportunities include the bike workshop, double glazing, kitchen, laundry, recycling, refuse collection, cleaners, painters and orderlies in various locations.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends .

Support at Hewell

Family services at Hewell are provided by PACT.

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency.

Call 01527 785000 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Hewell .

Inspection reports

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Hewell in response to independent inspections.

Contact Hewell

Governor: Ralph Lubkowski

Telephone (24 hours): 01527 785 000 Fax: 01527 785 001 Find out about call charges

HMP Hewell Hewell Lane Redditch Worcestershire B97 6QS

Opening hours updated for visits booking telephone line.

Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes

Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.

Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.

Updated physical contact guidance

New visiting times and booking information added.

Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.

Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.

Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.

Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Added confirmation of secure video calls being made available at this prison.

Updated governor name

added survey link

First published.

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Creative Licence

Today, Birmingham Rep is proud to share a short film about our participation in Geese Theatre’s Creative Licence . A pilot project, which matched low risk offenders on Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) with arts organisations to undertake work experience placements.  

Working in partnership with Unlock and HMP Oakwood, and funded generously by the Arts Council England, Creative Licence provided an opportunity for a wide spectrum of people to enter the arts sector, kick-starting conversations about how we can begin to build bridges between prisons and the creative industries.  

Today’s short film captures some of John’s* placement at The Rep. HR Manager Tracey Wainwright comments: “It has been a fantastic learning experience for the organisation, and we have benefitted from John’s skills, and enthusiasm, he has made a genuine and valued contribution to the work of the organisation during his time with us.”  

The Rep is the first theatre to take part in the project and we hope our experience will forge a blueprint to encourage other theatres to participate in the project.  

For more information about the  Creative Licence  project, including access to the full film, a report by the  Institute of Community Research and Development , and a blog by  Arts Council England , please visit   https://www.geese.co.uk .

*We have changed John’s name to protect their identity.  

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Birmingham Hippodrome announce new pilot programme for young people

Birmingham Hippodrome have announced today (Tuesday 5 January) a new pilot programme especially for young people, to shape the future of the Hippodrome’s work.

The Young Advocates programme will initially run until March 2021, and is open to anyone aged 14-22 from Birmingham and the West Midlands who have an interest in the arts and a passion to make change.

The final group will be involved in a range of workshops and will have the opportunity to work with Hippodrome Associate Companies, Artists and staff. At the end of the pilot programme the Young Advocates will be asked to share their vision for Birmingham Hippodrome’s future with the organisations senior team and Trustees. The Young Advocates will also get to present their response at the TedXYouth@Brum digital conference in March.

Alongside this, the successful applicants will receive training, mentoring and access to a range of different areas within the arts industry.

Zaylie-Dawn Wilson, Head of Learning and Participation at Birmingham Hippodrome commented: “The Young Advocates programme will offer young people a platform to have their voices heard and opinions valued. This programme will help to ensure young people see a career in the arts industry as a viable option, which in turn will drive change for Birmingham Hippodrome and young people in the West Midlands.”

Zaylie added: “This programme is part of our mission and pledge as a member of   More Than A Moment to ensure that our offer is inclusive, accessible, whilst supporting and developing diverse and talented young people as part of our future workforce.”

The programme is completely free and sessions will run weekly on a Wednesday evening with some weekend sessions. An open online information session to takes place on Wednesday 13 January at 6pm , with the deadline for applications Sunday 17 January 8pm . Applicants will then be invited to attend a workshop session on Wednesday 20 January with the final group members selected on Thursday 21 January.

To find out more, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/youngadvocates

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Inmates given extra jail time for parts in prison riot that saw staff attacked with pool balls

Three prisoners serving a combined 50 years in jail have each had their sentences extended for their parts in a masked "mutiny" in jail.

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The riot took place at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, where prison staff were attacked with pool balls on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

On Friday, three of the jail's prisoners were all given extra terms for their roles in the violence.

Staff were attacked by prisoners who threw pool balls at them. As a result the officers withdrew from the wing.

The prisoners then took control of the wing, and while wearing masks in an attempt to hide their identities, they began smashing CCTV cameras, caused floods of water and built barricades, before they set fire to the wing.

Several tannoy orders were issued to the prisoners, instructing them to return to their cells and warning that failure to comply constituted prison mutiny.

But the incident was only resolved when 'Tornado Teams' were brought in from prisons across the country, including HMP Birmingham, HMP Bristol, HMP Woodhill, HMP Bullingdon, HMP Featherstone, HMP Brinsford, HMP Oakwood and HMP Cardiff.

Tornado Teams are specialist prison control and restraint teams.

West Mercia Police said that once inside the prison the teams regained control of the wing "within ten minutes".

The force said that the wing had been so extensively damaged that the prisoners housed there were transferred to other parts of the jail, and to other prisons around the country.

It is estimated the extent of the damage caused was more than £110,000 – not including the cost of deploying Tornado Teams, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and West Mercia Police.

As a result of the violence Dean Cody, 38, has been given an additional 45 months in prison to run consecutively to the 21 years he is already serving.

Derek Law, 40, has been given 40 months to run consecutively to the 19 years he is already serving, and John Ward, 43, has been given 16 months to run concurrently to the 32 years he is already serving.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bellamy, who led the investigation said: “I am pleased with the outcome today after a detailed and thorough investigation that lasted almost three years. We worked closely with HM Prison Service and together we hope this is a clear message that behaviour such as this will not be tolerated inside our prisons.

“Along with the cost by the damage caused, it is important to highlight the impact this incident had on the wider communities of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Teams from the fire service, the ambulance service and West Mercia Police were committed for two days during the mutiny, taking valuable services away from our local communities.”

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BBC The One Show fans in tears at interview with Stoke-on-Trent schoolboy with terrible diagnosis

The One Show viewers were left in tears after an incredibly emotional story featured on the programme on Thursday night.

• 20:36, 23 MAY 2024

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Viewers of The One Show were moved to tears by an incredibly touching story of a Stoke-on-Trent schoolboy. Henri Brammer, aged 10, was honoured in the BBC programme's 'One Big Thankyou' feature on tonight's show (May 23) after he raised over £25,000 for Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool within 10 months.

Stoke City fan Henri took on the fund-raising mission following his recovery from three significant brain surgeries.

Back in December 2022, Gladstone Primary Academy pupil Henri, from Lightwood, found himself in the Royal Stoke University Hospital suffering from severe headaches. It turned out he had a viral infection in his brain, which led to him being swiftly taken into surgery.

His mother, Carly, shared the harrowing detail that the surgeon had told her they were uncertain if Henri would pull through. After enduring three surgical procedures at the hospital, Henri, once on the mend, began a fundraising journey with his family, organising events such as karaoke nights, pool competitions, and pyjama parties to gather donations.

READ: Mum knew something was seriously wrong when Stoke City fan son's eye went 'puffy' Little Henri Brammer, from Lightwood, has raised an incredible £25,000 to thank the hospital that saved his life

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Carly recounted: "Henri came up with the idea to dress as your hero for school. He went as one of the consultants at Alder Hey. He wore the scrubs, had a little name badge made."

Initially aiming to collect £5,000, Henri's efforts far exceeded expectations, amassing more than £25,000 in just 10 months. Now in full health, he serves as an ambassador for the hospital, reports Birmingham Live .

In a delightful twist, Henri was treated to a surprise visit to watch the England squad's training session before their match against Brazil, complete with tickets to witness the game live. Moreover, he had the chance to meet some of his idols, including football stars Harry Kane and Gareth Southgate.

Henri, discussing his fundraising activities, expressed his gratitude: "They saved me so we need to try and save other people."

The interview left viewers deeply moved. One viewer responded: "Oh my goodness. Bless Henri. What an amazing young fella."

Another shared their emotional reaction: "He went as the consultant [crying emojis] oh my god my heart."

Another praised Henri: "What an absolutely inspirational, kind and beautiful human being Henri is."

One more chimed in with heartfelt words: "Oh my heart! In bits watching wonderful, brave Henri getting his well-deserved surprise! " And another added: "So moving. What a great young man."

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