The Oswin Project - Trustee Blog Post

The Oswin Project is an incredible charity supporting prisoners and ex-offenders to rebuild their lives through mentoring and training, leading to employment. They gave me the chance to meet their committed team of employees and volunteers, as well as some of the people they’re currently working with to learn more about how they’re being given a second chance.

The charity’s team works incredibly hard, equipping people with the skills needed to build successful, independent lives. With funding from the ScottishPower Foundation they’ve established ‘Baking Out’ to help transform lives through baking.

During my visit to HMP Northumberland, I was able to see firsthand how the charity has transformed an unused space in the prison into a new dedicated ‘Baking Out’ kitchen, creating a thriving social enterprise that produces and sells delicious pies, quiches and cakes. Their products are proving incredibly popular across the region, with sales growing through the charity’s Farm Shop and Café 16 at HMP Northumberland, as well as in the community at Café 16 at Newcastle Cathedral.

Through ‘Baking Out’ The Oswin Project has supported 52 people, 27 who are nearing the end of their sentences in prison and 25 who have transitioned back into the community. They gain essential workplace skills, structure and most importantly confidence. Once ready, they 'graduate' to paid employment, helping to support their transition and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

I met several of the people benefiting from the new facility and they told me about their second chance. The project gave some the opportunity to learn new skills and others the chance to impart their knowledge to others. The main themes from all of these interactions were that the project gave them structure and purpose. This in turn gave them a sense of hope for the future. They talked of the plans they had for when they left the prison and how the skills that they had learned, and the hope gained would be a critical part of that transition being successful.

Throughout the day, I was reminded of the remarkable impact of the Oswin Project. The North East has recorded some of the highest reoffending rates in the country (averaging 38%) yet the project has an astonishing success rate with 3% of their participants going on to reoffend.

Their success shows how investing in people's potential can create positive change that reaches far beyond the individual, strengthening families, communities and local economies alike.

At the ScottishPower Foundation, we’re immensely proud to support charities like the Oswin Project. Their work proves that with the right support, people can build brighter futures. I left my visit feeling inspired, hopeful and deeply grateful to everyone at the charity for their unwavering commitment to giving people a fresh start.

If you find yourself in the North East, I highly recommend visiting the charity’s Farm Shop just outside HMP Northumberland or Café 16 at Newcastle Cathedral to taste their fantastic baked goods and see this incredible work in action.