Barbells Behind Bars
In a bold move to offer hope and a fresh start to young offenders in the UK, coaches of the Wythenshawe Weightlifting Club, with the support of sponsor Express Medicals, have launched a programme of weightlifting coaching at the Thorn Cross Prison. The initiative, which aims to improve the mental and physical health of inmates while providing valuable life skills, has been met with immediate success.
Mike Harris, a seasoned weightlifter and coach, approached the governor of Thorn Cross with his proposal to deliver the lifting scheme to the facility. With recent budget cuts throughout the prison service, such initiatives have been limited, making this programme all the more valuable to the inmates. "The governor considered it a gift from heaven, as you can imagine," said Harris.
The benefits of such a programme are hard to overstate. Physical activity offered in a prison environment can significantly improve the mental and physical health of inmates, particularly those who spend much of their time in their cells. The repetitive, controlled motions of weightlifting, with their emphasis on self-discipline and focus, offer a particularly compelling means of achieving these ends.
“It’s difficult to bring sports into a prison” said Dr Simon Davis, senior research scientist at Imperial College London and coach at Wythenshawe. “But with weightlifting, anybody can pick up a weight. It might be a very small weight, but anyone could pick it up”.
In addition to physical benefits, the structured learning provided by weightlifting coaching is a valuable source of self-esteem and self-respect for the offenders. "You might tell someone 'well done' and you can see on their face it's the first time someone ever said that to them. I've seen it many times," said Dr Davis.
The programme also has the potential to increase offenders' employment prospects after release and ultimately reduce recidivism, by offering a pathway to an NVQ qualification in weightlifting coaching. “If one person were to come out of prison and pursue a career in a sporting field, and stay away from that lifestyle, we've achieved something amazing” said Mike.
The coaches of Wythenshawe Weightlifting Club are dedicated to spreading this achievement further by rolling out the programme nationally in higher security facilities, to inmates of all ages. They hope to bring their proposal to the Minister for Prisons in Westminster.
Express Medicals' CEO, Dr Dan Hegarty, praised the work being done by Harris and Davis, saying, "It has been an honour that our company was able to support Mike and Simon with their project. We are all truly inspired by the work they're doing and are excited to see how far they can take it." The programme is a powerful example of how community initiatives can make a positive difference, even in the most challenging environments.
