Annexe In The City

In this picture, from left to right: Kacey (Exhibitions Manager), Maureen McNeil (Director of Education), Alan ( Accountant), Hilary ( Programmes Manager) and Yvonne Simons ( Executive Director).

We are extremely proud to announce that the Anne Frank Model House produced by Prisoners at HMP Wakefield, especially for the Anne Frank Centre USA, has arrived with no damages incurred from this momentous journey. The Staff at the USA Centre are thrilled to have received this tremendous gift, and will be showcasing the model in the  next couple of months when they move the Centre to new premises in New York City. Maureen McNeil, the Director of Education, said:
" We would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who worked on the house. Their artistry and care are evident, and the symbolic gesture speaks volumes."

London Eye Crying

Art work by Paul O'Halloran HMP Wandsworth, courtesy of the Koestler Trust. The piece was Kalyx commended.

HMP Wakefield wins Award

Congratulations to the team from HMP Wakefield who recently won a Prison service Award for ‘Decency and Diversity’. They were chosen for the outstanding work that they do with prisoners at HMP Wakefield, and for the work that the Charity workshop does for the community. The Anne Frank Trust was presented with scaled models of the Anne Frank House and donations boxes; one of the models was proudly presented to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam in 2009, to commemorate what would have been Anne frank’s 80th birthday


The Prison service Award was presented by Mr Danny McAllister the Director of High Security Prisons in the UK. The ceremony was held at the Walton Hall in Warwickshire.

My Darkest Hours

Art work by Patrick John Craggs, HMP Ashwell, Courtesy of the Koestler Trust. The piece was awarded  a Bronze Award.

HMP Swaleside and HMP Standford Hill Jointly host the Anne Frank Exhibition

In May 2010 HMP Swaleside and HMP Standford Hill combined to host the Anne Frank exhibition. The Guest speaker at both establishments was Dr Eva Schloss, who was extremely well received by her audience. Eva’s talk at HMP Swaleside was held in the chapel, in front of 120 prisoners and staff. In HMP Standford Hill there was a more relaxed and slightly impromptu talk with a group of prisoners and staff in the visitors centre. Both audiences listened intently to Eva talk of her experiences, and asked very interesting questions which Eva enjoyed answering. It was extremely memorable and we are extremely grateful to Eva for giving of her time to do this for the Trust.

HMP Standford Hill Cat D (open prison) sited the exhibition in the visitors centre, and Senior Officer Amanda Syddell organised visits from Eastchurch Primary School to see the exhibition. Especially interesting as the prisoners of Standford Hill were the exhibition guides. They were so professional that many did not realise they were prisoners and not guides from the Trust! This was a wonderful experience for the children, and did much to break down barriers, and stereotypes about prisons/prisoners. Both prisoners and schoolchildren got a great deal out of this experience, and even greater community involvement would have ensued had there been the time!

We plan to use the Standford Hill model to further strengthen ties with the community in regions where there are similar establishments – as it demonstrated how important these links can be, and how rewarding the benefits are of this shared experience. It also showed some of the good things that go on in prisons, rarely seen by the general public, and rarely reported in the national press.