Since 2007, The Fairfield Association and Lancaster Castle prison have been developing strong community links. The prison is an institutional member of the Fairfield Association and a member of staff attends our committee meetings on a regular basis. In 2008 the prison sponsored a tree which we planted in the Fairfield Green play area.

The prison has helped us to raise funds in various ways. Starting with our July 2007 Fun Day, prisoners have been making cakes in the Castle kitchens for us to sell at our various events.

In September 2007 a prisoner made a teddy bear for us, dressed in prison uniform, which we auctioned at our first Teddy Bear’s Picnic in the Fairfield Millennium Orchard.

In 2008 they made five Christmas cakes, wonderfully decorated with, for example, icing mice apparently eating the cake and going in and out of it, which we sold on our stall at the Green Party Christmas Fair.

For Fun Day 2009 prisoners from the castle donated paintings and bound notebooks for us to sell to raise money for the Association.

In the other direction, Fairfield Association members have attended various events inside the prison which the prisoners have helped to organise, including carol concerts, an evening entertainment and tea parties for the over-60s.

In January 2009 we gave a presentation about the work of the Fairfield Association to a mixed group of staff and prisoners and we are currently exploring new ways in which we can develop our community link with Lancaster Castle prison.