Each prisoner was given a limited list of vegetables from which to choose based on plans made with the prison kitchen. This happens every year to plan what produce will be grown – ultimately saving the taxpayer an estimated £10-15,000 per year.
The allotments have been a huge success with friendly rivalry developing over who has the best crops – and ‘top secret’ recipes of feed, especially for their giant pumpkins which will also be entered for the North Show. Although the vast majority of the produce goes straight into the prison kitchens any excess is sold on our ‘hedge veg’ cart in the prison car park with all profits going back to CLIP. The site also has a ‘formal’ garden which prisoners tend as part of their City & Guilds qualification in practical horticulture skills.
The final element of the site is the wild garden which provides pollen and nectar for the bees in our beehives, which were established 2 years ago after members from the local beekeeping association came in to teach officers and prisoners. We now have a regular supply of honey and this is also sold to provide funds for CLIP.