Anne Frank Exhibition at HMP Wormwood Scrubs

The final prison event for 2011 was held at Wormwood Scrubs in West London from 29th November to 2nd December.


A fantastic return to a local prison. A great week there with a fantastic group of Prison Exhibition Guides. The exhibition was sited in the beautiful chapel of the St Francis inside the prison, which was built by prisoners in the late 19th century.
Eva Schloss, Posthumous Step Sister of Anne Frank and Survivor of Auschwitz, was our Guest Speaker and again gave a very moving account of her life during and after the Holocaust. There was a wonderful performance of poetry by the creative writers group.
A wonderful end to an excellent year for the Prison Project. Many thanks to Governors Carter Allen and Redhouse for all their support. Below is one of poems produced in the Creative Writing Workshop, and performed at the closing ceremony.

Train Tracks; a found poem from the Thesaurus

To blacken:
to befoul,
to defile,
to besmirch,
to revile

to detract,
to begrime,
to dishonour,
to malign

to soil,
to decry,
to slander,
to nigrify

to tarnish,
to defame,
to sully,
to stain

to smear,
to denigrate,
to cloud,
to taint

To darken......

Poem Courtesy of Brian & Leah

Fundraising Lunch at the Clink Restaurant in HMP Highdown



Image: Courtesy of the Clink Restaurant


The first ever fundraising lunch for the AF Prison Project was hosted by Clinks restaurant in HMP High Down on the 19th October 2011.

The restaurant was filled to capacity with guests and sponsors and it was a great opportunity for supporters and Government Policy bodies to lean more about our work in prisons. The food was delicious and the staff and management of Clinks (all serving prisoners and ex-offenders) did a fantastic job in taking care of everyone that day. A special thanks to Chris Moore and Manager Dean for all their help in making it such a special day.

It was also such a joy to be able to invite the prison exhibition guides to join us for lunch, seated in each of the guest’s tables, they were able to talk to everyone about the exhibition at HMP High Down, and have the rare privilege of eating in the beautiful restaurant.
All in all, it was a great success and we would like to especially thanks Mr Kevin McGrath (Co-owner of Clink) who so generously sponsored the whole event and to Governor Peter Dawson for his continued unstinting support for the Anne Frank Trust UK.

Clink Restaurant: http://www.theclinkcharity.com/

Anne Frank Exhibition at HMP Highdown

The Anne Frank exhibition was at HMP Highdown from the10-19th October. A very interesting and worthwhile event over 9 days. The exhibition was very well attended and the Guides remarked that it would have been good to have had the exhibition longer!

During this time there were a number of workshops. Eva Clarke was the guest speaker, and told her own story actually being born in Mauthausen Concentration camp. Both her and her mother miraculously survived these horrors, and rebuilt their lives in the UK. A remarkable story and very much appreciated by all prisoners and staff who attended.

Leah Thorn also did some outstanding work with her creative writing group and produced an anthology of work entitled ‘To Stem a Tide’ some of which was performed at the Clinks fundraising lunch on the last day of the event.

Anne Frank Exhibition at HMP Lowdham Grange

The exhibition was at Lowgham Grange from the 5th – 16th September. We had a fantastic two weeks. Equality Manager Rachel Dutton did a fantastic job in organising the event. The prisoner exhibition guides were a terrific bunch of guys who put so much effort into the project. Steve Gadd, the Prison Project Manager was very proud to work alongside them and be able to get to know them. The guides did wonderful presentations to all visitors, prisoners and staff.
Simon Winston was the Guest Speaker and stirred a lot of interest from his audience. Leah Thorne’s work with the creative writing group produced some outstanding work, and Leah rightly commented that “this was one of the best group ever”.

All thanks to Governor Gareth Sends for his full support and encouragement throughout!

Anne Frank Exhibition at HMP Werrington 20th June - 1st July

The Anne Frank Prison Project returned to Werrington for the 3rd year in succession!

Great help from all departments at Werrington and great enthusiasm. For the first time the exhibition was accompanied by the ‘Anne Frank & Family Photo exhibition which was exhibited in the Visitor’s centre. Leah Thorne remarked what a great Creative Writing session she had done in Werrington- which is great praise!

Mr Steve Mendelssohn was the Guest Speaker and had very much enjoyed his visit. Mrs Sylvia Lancaster, who is the mother of murdered teenager Sophie Lancaster, came along to talk about the impact her daughter’s death had on her and her family. Both these talks were extremely powerful and well received by the staff and young people at the prison. The event was rounded off with performances from ‘Music in Prisons’. Extremely memorable!



The late Sophie Lancaster



Anne Frank Prison Project exhibition at HMP Blundeston

Inside Held In
Artwork by Dannielle Hodson, courtesy of the Koestler Trust
Received the Commended Award

Thank you to all Staff and prisoners at HMP Blundeston for presenting such a memorable event.
Guest Speaker, Eva Clarke (Holocaust Survivor) was really touched by the reception she received from the audience, who listened intently to her family’s experiences during the Holocaust.
A wonderful closing ceremony, most notably from performances of the brilliant poetry produced by prisoners who attended Leah Thorne’s Creative Writing Workshops.

‘Release’

Congratulations to Leah Thorn on the publication of her book ‘Release’. This is a poetry and prose collection highlighting issues of ‘Self harm’ in Women’s Prisons. Around 80 copies of the book are being sent to each of the female prisons in the UK.

Congratulations from all at the Anne Frank Trust!



Full House

Artwork by Keith Fraser, courtesy of the Koestler Trust
Awarded The Co-operative Highly Commended award (Scotland) and the Gavin Graham Gold Award (UK)

The Anne Frank Exhibition back at HMP Werrington!

The Anne Frank prison project exhibition returned to Werrington for the 3rd year in succession!

For the first time the exhibition was accompanied by the Anne Frank and Family photo exhibition which was exhibited in the Visitor’s centre. Steve Mendelsson a Holocaust Survivor was kind enough to speak again this
year at our event.
Mrs Sylvia Lancaster, the mother of murdered teenager, Sophie Lancaster came along to talk about the impact her daughter’s death had on her and her family. Both these guests' talks were extremely powerful and well received by staff and young people.
The event was rounded off with performances from ‘Music in Prisons’ which was very good.

After a Visit



Art by Michael Clulow: Tilleard Haines Commended Award
Courtesy of the Koestler Trust



The Anne Frank exhibition at HMP Wellingborough (7th -18th March)

This was a superb event. A long time in planning, and really paid off for all concerned.

Again, all thanks to our prisoner guides, who worked so hard and were so committed to the project. The exhibition itself was situated for 2 weeks in the Chapel and adjoining areas, and was visited by fellow inmates, staff and their families, and also a local school and a college.

A debate on ‘Freedoms and responsibilities’, was extremely well received, and much thought provoking debate and opinion was heard by prisoners, staff and visitors. This was a great opportunity for people to share their thoughts on a number of topical/controversial issues.

Our guest speaker Mr Freddie Knoller (Holocaust survivor), fascinated the audience with his story of endurance and survival during the Nazi era. No one would have guessed by his energetic performance that day, that he is going to be 90 years young (his words) in April this year. Freddie is an inspiration to us all, and we are extremely grateful to him.

Leah Thorn (spoken word poet) led a very talented group of prisoners in her creative writing workshops which produced some extraordinarily powerful poetry, which was performed at the closing event. This was made especially poignant as families and friends of the prisoners were also invited to join them for this special occasion.

We greatly appreciate the special commendation from the IMB at HMP Wellingborough in recognition of the work we did jointly during this time and the impact that it had. We would like to especially thank Mr Tony Yeomans (Head of Diversity) and Governor Peter Siddons for their whole hearted and unstinting support for this project, and we look forward to working together in the future.

Click here to view a letter of commendation from HMP Wellingborough.

The Puffin Flight



 Awarded the Keith Bromley Platium Award for Nature Photography
Courtesy of the Koestler Trust



Great Return Visit to HMP Whitemoor

The Prison Project started off 2011 with a return visit to HMP Whitemoor. This was a wonderfully well received event which was appreciated by both Prisoners, staff and even included a visit from a local college.

In the first week, the exhibition was situated inside the prison, and in the second week, just outside the walls in the Officers Mess where families of staff were able to attend. Many thanks to all, especially (then Governor) Nick Leader, and Gina Butler and all staff for all their help and support.

The Guest speaker Mrs Eva Clarke (Holocaust survivor) spoke to the prisoners and staff in a morning session, and to the school group in the afternoon. She was reported to have been very pleased with the reception she received from both groups. It was extremely well appreciated.

The Prisoner guides were a great credit to HMP Whitemoor, and did such a good job in presenting the exhibition. Many thanks guys! Great return Visit!