HMP Onley

Hastings’ Finest, Anon, HM Prison Cookham Wood, Under 18s Special Award for Oil or Acrylic
Image Courtesy of the Koestler Trust

This was the first time that we had visited HMP Onley and we were very pleased with the reaction that we received there.

This was an action packed week! We set up the exhibition on the Sunday and worked through the Bank holiday Monday to ensure the maximum impact of the event.

A well organised event, and again, an extremely enthusiastic  group of prisoners presenting the exhibition to peers and to staff.

The week culminated in a talk from Dr Eva Schloss, about her own personal experiences during the rise of the Nazis in Germany and the Holocaust. Miraculously, Eva and her mother Fritzi survived the extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau – sadly losing her father and brother and many other members of her family. Her mother married Otto Frank many years later, thus making Eva the posthumous step-sister of Anne Frank. As you can imagine there were many interesting questions from the audience. There was also a great surprise for Eva, as her birthday was going to be 2 days later the prisoners presented her with a framed portrait of the prison’s emblem transforming into a bird in flight.  Eva was very touched by this gift from the men.

We are very grateful to our prisoner guides for doing such a great job.

Very special thanks go to Mo Porter (Equalities) and Deputy Governor Craig Smith for organising this event. We would also like to thank  Governor’s  Sarah Coccia and Steve Ruddy for all their kind help and support.

HMP Moorland – HMP Lindholme – HMP Hatfield

My World, Anon, HM Prison Full Sutton, Gold Award for Drawing
Image Courtesy of the Koestler Trust

This was a combined event over the 3 Establishments in Doncaster.

HMP Moorland event was extremely well organised by Officers Jane Ayres and Debbie Freeman. The talk from Mrs Eva Clarke (Holocaust Survivor was recorded for prison broadcast and posterity by a small team of prisoners who were very professional.

HMP Lindholme a Cat C/D prison.

The exhibition was very well attended and much appreciated by all the visitors.

The guest speaker was again Mrs Eva Clarke who did a fantastic job in relating her story to both prisoners and staff at the prison. These 2 prison events were very emotional moments for Eva, as these were the first prisons that she had spoken in since the sad loss of her mother Anka in 2013.

HMP Hatfield

An open prison where there is a great emphasis on individual responsibility and rehabilitation back into the community. The men there did a wonderful job in guiding the exhibition, and as the finale to these events Dr Eva Schloss came up from London to give her talk there on the very last day of the event. Needless to say, it was a great success.

Many thanks to Mr Neil Moore, Chris Buttrick, and all the staff at Hatfield for making it such an enjoyable success.

We are especially grateful to Deputy Governor Tony Oliver of HMP Lindholme for initiating the 3 prison project, and to  #1 Governors David Bamford and Mahala McGuffie for all their support.

Thanks Tony!

‘All the way to Wayland’

Snowfields, Anon, Kibble Safe Centre, Pastels
Image: Courtesy of the Koestler Trust

Another first time event for the Anne Frank Prison Project. we were invited to bring our exhibition to HMP Wayland in Norfolk at the end of February this year. The programme was really good and we had a great bunch of prisoner guides, and great staff supporting the event.

Creative writing workshops were held with the prisoners by Leah Thorn. The Guest speaker for the closing event was Mrs Eva Clarke whose talk was greatly appreciated by all.

Many thanks to Deputy Governor Dodson and all the team at Wayland. 

Anne Frank Exhibition at HMP Deerbolt

Hakahookoo, Anon, Ashworth Hospital, Sculpture
Image: Courtesy of the Koetsler Trust

Our first visit to HMYOI Deerbolt, a Cat C young offenders prison in a picturesque location near Barnard Castle in County Durham.

Working with a group of enthusiastic group of young men who quickly grasped the relevance of Anne’s story to today, and who very ably presented the exhibition to all visitors including their peers.

The highlight of the event was a talk from Mrs Eva Clarke.

Eva was actually born in Mauthausen Concentration camp and miraculously survived. It is an extraordinary story, and she had the audience completely spellbound.

We would all like to thank Organisers Dave bates and Kati Cowley for doing such a great job.

                                                                                                                                 February 2014