A visit to Huntercombe Prison

This afternoon I had the opportunity to visit Huntercombe Prison, accompanied by Shaun, the High Sheriff of Berkshire, his Chaplain Gareth, my Chaplain Anne, and Mark.

Huntercombe has a long history, having originally opened in the 1940s. Today it operates as a Category C prison holding adult men, many of whom are foreign nationals. Its unique role gives it a distinctive feel compared with other prisons I have visited.

We began with lunch in the Clink Café, on site. The Clink Charity was founded to provide training and rehabilitation through high-quality hospitality experiences, giving prisoners real skills for employment on release. It was co-founded nationally by Finlay Scott – husband of Sally, a former High Sheriff of Oxfordshire – and now operates in a number of prisons across the country. The food was excellent: I enjoyed a fragrant aloo ghobi, while others assured me that the lamb burgers were just as impressive.

What struck me most about Huntercombe was the atmosphere. It is a small Category C establishment, and compared with other prisons I have visited, the sense of tension was noticeably reduced. The controlled quietness of the site, from the wings to the workshops, was remarkable.

We visited the Textiles workshop and the Social Enterprise space, both of which were thriving. I was especially interested to see goods being made for sale at TAP Social in Oxford. For those who don’t know, TAP Social is a social enterprise brewery and hospitality business founded to support people with criminal convictions into employment – an inspiring example of partnership beyond the prison gates.

Another highlight was spending time with around twenty men in their Bible class. Our conversations were honest, reflective and encouraging. They spoke positively about their experience at Huntercombe and about their relationships with staff. Later, visiting three of the wings, I was again impressed by the atmosphere – calm, ordered, and purposeful. The accommodation provided for enhanced prisoners was of a high standard, and it was clear that the men were actively engaging with their prison officers.

As I reflected on the day, I could not help but think about the current national debate around immigration. Huntercombe houses many men whose futures depend on decisions being made by the Home Office – decisions about deportation, settlement, and what happens next. The noise in the media and in politics is often shrill, full of slogans and dog-whistling. What I saw today was very different: mutual respect, individual sentencing, and an effort to see and treat each person as a human being.

A thought-provoking and important visit.