27/09/2026
Almost 10 years to the day between these two photographs!
On Thursday, Andy went back to HMP Rye Hill, the prison where he last worked as an operational grade Governor before leaving the Prison Service to set up RIFT Social Enterprise from scratch.
He trained there as a Prison Officer and, in many ways, cut his teeth on those landings. It was where he learned what was working in prisons and where he developed enormous respect for the people who turn up every day and do an incredibly difficult job, often with very little recognition from the world outside.
He saw many familiar faces and was also genuinely pleased to see the prison in such a healthy place, with so much innovation and good practice happening across the establishment.
The reason for his visit, though, was very much about the future. He spent a lot of time talking with staff and residents about self-employment and the opportunities it can create after release.
For a PCOSO population in particular, finding employment after prison can be incredibly difficult. Self-employment can provide a strong alternative route to earning a legitimate income, using existing skills and experience, and building something for themselves when other doors may be difficult to open.
RIFT Social Enterprise helps people understand whether self-employment is genuinely right for them, explore and test their ideas, build the knowledge they need to start trading properly and provide our specialist tailored support as they move towards release and beyond.
It was an extremely positive morning and we are really excited to move forward with the great conversations we have started here.
