Lives changing for the better at HMP Wandsworth

HMP Wandsworth prisoners took part in an entrepreneurial day on Thursday the 13th of July. They pitched their ideas for setting up a business to a panel of distinguished experts, which included the Chairman of the Royal London Society (RLS), the Hon. Robert Kissin. The RLS are the longest serving charity set up to help ex-offenders become rehabilitated.

The day was sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and some of the judges were from a business background or were themselves trustees of the RLS. There was also a representative from Lovells, a law firm specialising in business law.

This was the fifth ‘Prisoner Entrepreneurial Day’ run by the Start Up project and it was the first time that HMP Wandsworth was involved. Start Up is an affiliated project of the RLS.

The Chief Executive Juliet Hope of Start Up said that since the launch of entrepreneur days at Brixton prison, it had managed to get twenty-seven businesses up and running. They offer a package to ex-offenders, which included mentoring, finance and follow-up. The Start Up scheme provides grants and helps to provide loans to successful applicants through contacts with Lloyds TSB.

Ten candidates, five serving prisoners and five ex-offenders were each given a slot to outline their previous work experience, type of business they wanted to set up, their target market and why they had an edge over possible competitors. Candidates were then questioned by the judges at the end of their presentations. The businesses pitched covered a diverse range, from setting up a cattery to running a classic rock tribute band.

Dominic Murphy, the Business Studies co-ordinator, also the man responsible for bringing this event to Wandsworth believes that this is, ‘very exciting to have this event at Wandsworth, and I hope this will be the first of many.’

After the presentations, the judges deliberated and then certificates were presented to all participants by Douglas Connon on behalf of the sponsors. Eight of the participants were offered a combination of financial and mentoring support, and two of the participants were offered mentoring to further their business project ideas with the possibility of financial support in the future.  Grants of £1,500 and loans up to about £5,000 are on offer.

The successful businesses were:
· Bookkeeping and payroll service 
· Corporate training solutions firm
· Swimming School
· Classic rock tribute band
· Gardening firm
· Metalworking contractor
· Cattery
· First Aid training provider

It was a productive day and the prison looks forward to Start Up’s return to Wandsworth later this year for further participants to put forward their budding entrepreneurial ideas for a new fresh start on the outside.

Stat-Up can be reached at http://start-upforexoffenders.co.uk/