Police & Crime Commissioner visits BACO
Matthew Barber, Police & Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, recently visited Bucks Association for the Care of Offenders (BACO) as part of his ongoing engagement with partners and funded organisations
On Friday (20/1), Matthew Barber visited prisoner support charity BACO at the Youth Offending Service Offices in Aylesbury. The visit provided an opportunity for Matthew to find out how £5,000 of funding, awarded via the PCC’s Community Fund, will support BACO to help prevent crime across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
BACO is a registered charity with the aim of supporting offenders to break their cycle of criminal behaviour and reintegrate back into society. They work in co-operation with the Prison Service and Probation, but independently of both. BACO also provides support to ex-offenders living within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
Following his visit, Matthew said: “It was a pleasure to meet with the team from BACO last week, to find out how funding through the Community Fund will support their work with offenders in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to break the cycle of offending and integrate back into society. It was also great to hear how they provide support to the Buckinghamshire Youth Offending Service (YOS).
“I would also like to encourage community groups across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to apply for the latest round of my Community Fund. Applications close on Monday 6 February at 4pm, with further details available on the PCC website.
“I wish BACO all the best with their future work, and I look forward to continuing to visit more organisations in 2023 whose work supports my Police & Criminal Justice Plan for Thames Valley.”
Camilla Soames, Chairperson for BACO, said: “’Our Trustees were delighted to meet Matthew at the Youth Offending Service Offices in Aylesbury last week, to advise how the Community Fund award of £5,000 was being spent to help prevent crime in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Our work is dependent upon forging good working relationships and our thanks to Ollie Foxell, Deputy Head of Buckinghamshire Youth Offending Service, for attending the meeting.
“Katie Boots, Team Manager for Buckinghamshire YOS, spoke of the invaluable support she and her team receive when they identify a need and how quick BACO is to respond and make a financial contribution to meet an identified need.”
This visit was made as part of an ongoing programme of engagement work run by the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, which will organise regular visits with the Police & Crime Commissioner, partners and funded organisations throughout 2023.
BACO plants a special tree at HMP Aylesbury
BACO was delighted to plant a tree on 8th December with the help of men from HMP Aylesbury. A plaque was installed dedicating it to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative which encourages tree planting across the UK marking The late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee earlier this year and we were thrilled to be joined by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire and BACO President, The Countess Howe. The 3m tall Mulberry tree, kindly gifted by BACO member Annabel Briggs was installed in the garden within the prison grounds where it will be enjoyed by the men and staff for many years to come. The men have crafted a wonderful raised bed around it from reclaimed stone from a chimney which was due to go to landfill, and the tree itself bears a tag as a token of thanks to Annabel Briggs. The tree planting was kindly facilitated by Neil Hawes Industries Manager at HMP Aylesbury and attended by the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, BACO members and committee members as well as Neil Hawes, Hannah Young Head of Reducing Reoffending at HMP Aylesbury and 15 men from the prison who work in the gardens.
BACO awarded £5,000 from Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund
In October, BACO Trustee Ruth Farwell collected a cheque for £5,000 from Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber and Chief Constable John Campbell, at a presentation event in Reading. This was an award from the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Fund.
2022 Koestler Awards Announced
The 2022 Koestler Awards for the Arts in Criminal Justice Settings have been announced. The competition started 60 years ago, and received entries this year from over 3,500 individuals from approximately 300 prisons, young offender institutions, secure hospitals, children’s homes and immigration removal centres across the categories of art, music, design and writing.
Congratulations to all the artists who created and submitted an entry and all the staff that support them.
BACO Newsletter February 2022
Read the latest BACO news and updates in the February newsletter here .
New Chapters – Reflections on a Literacy Project in HMYOI Aylesbury
The National Literacy Trust with a grant from the Rothschild Foundation has been working with the young men and staff in HMYOI, Aylesbury to encourage reading for pleasure and promote literacy. Ruth Farwell, BACO’s education and training lead and Camilla Soames BACO Chair were invited to attended the author’s sessions and in 2020 when the pandemic struck and stopped all third sector organisations entering the prison, the NLT changed tactics, establishing wing libraries and donating 3,200 books. Read the report here and embrace the good news that the Rothschild Foundation is funding this project through to 2055.
Inside Time BACO Article
In August 2021 Inside Time published an article written by BACO Member, Rose Scrope. We are delighted that Bradley ‘B’, interviewed by Rose has agreed to be an Ambassador for BACO. Bradley is now living and working as a Chef in Buckinghamshire. Read the article here .
Criminal Justice Alliance 2021 Awards Announced
The CJA Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that are helping build a fair and effective criminal justice system. See the full list of 2021 award winners here.
Many congratulations to them all and in particular to the Thames Valley Partnership.
Wingrave Open Gardens
A massive thank you to all those kind people who live in Wingrave who opened their gardens last weekend in aid of BACO and the wonderful Maggie’s centres, a fantastic £2,000 raised!
The end of Community Rehabilitation Companies 26th June 2021
Click here for more details from the online probation changes bulletin.
