About the Place Ltd has been working with HMP Springhill open prison near Aylesbury for almost two years to bring to fruition a complex and fascinating project, supported by the Local Food BIG Lottery programme.

We were approached to advise on, and to create, a project that could make best use of 53 acres of unused land at the prison.  Eight years previous, this fantastic resource had been a thriving farms and gardens initiative.  Unfortunately, funding pressures had seen it fall into disrepair and redundancy.

Taking time to consider all options and to place specific emphasis on sustainability, i.e. how to create something for the long-term, we delivered the following for our client:

• A major funding grant of £275,000 over two-and-a-half years from the BIG Lottery Local Food Programme 
• Options for match-funding
• A business plan

We are now retained by Springhill Farms and Gardens Ltd to

• Manage their relationship with the BIG Lottery (dealing with all reporting requirements and creating/supporting requests for funding reallocations as the project evolves)
• Provide on-going strategic advice to the Board (suggesting other grant funding that might become available and that could support new elements of the project, advising on how the project might evolve and suggesting potential new partnership opportunities).

The core elements of the project comprise a Victorian Walled Garden, an orchard, commercial polytunnels, rare breed sheep, chickens, quail and bees.  The primary objectives of the project are (1) to create a training and rehabilitation centre for prisoners and the public based on horticulture, animal husbandry and local food and (2) to develop a thriving commercial business growing local food and supporting local communities to access fresh produce.

We are proud to be involved in this project and feel that it has significant potential to become one of the most ambitious and thought-provoking projects of its kind in the prison service.  Look at the website for further information.