Latest news with #FreedomFood
New Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
A stroll through the corridors of Central Prison
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Weird and freaky as it may seem, many wonder what it feels like to be incarcerated. For those curious to get a first-hand experience, the Central Prison recently opened its doors — not at its sprawling premises in Poojappura, but at the 'Ente Keralam' expo, which concluded at Kanakakunnu on Friday. We stepped inside a recreated prison environment to experience being locked up in a dingy, dark, almost suffocating space under strict surveillance. The experience was — perhaps the eeriness was what drew in several eager visitors. The entire facility was reproduced at the expo by the Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services. This prison once locked up several political veterans, including A K Gopalan. In its earlier location at Fort, the legendary thief Kayamkulam Kochunni was imprisoned until his execution. At its current site in Poojappura, records of inmates are sparse, but notable figures such as Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (released in 1943) and activist Rosamma Punnoose (released in 1942) are believed to have served time there. Notably, the film adaptation of Basheer's work Mathilukal was shot on the premises. Superintendent Sajeev S, Central Prison and Correctional Home, says the expo initiative was to give people a glimpse within the highly secured walls. 'The effort to recreate the prison was a joint one — by prison staff and inmates — and it took nearly a month to set up the 4, structure, based on the original facility that is spread out across nine acres at Poojappura,' he says. The actual prison remains off-limits to the public, but its outreach initiatives bring many of its projects to the community — such as the petrol pump at Poojappura managed by inmates, the nearby cafe, and the restaurant on jail property towards Jagathy. Particularly popular is the Freedom Food project, which played a key role during the 2018 flood relief efforts.
BBC News
12-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
'People might not be able to feed their children'
Rising costs and a lack of funding mean a Hull charity can no longer afford to cook and hand out subsidised meals to those who need & Management Solutions (EMS) has distributed about 57,000 meals over the past seven its Freedom Food Ready Meals project, which has been funded since 2018 by the National Lottery and a number of smaller grants, is due to come to an end on 31 executive Jan Boyd said: "We have worked tirelessly over the last 18 months to secure longer-term funding to keep the project running [but] now – as awful as it sounds – without us some people might not be able to afford to feed their children. 'It's a godsend' "It's heartbreaking for us. We've really tried to keep the project running but we just do not have the funding to back it up."Some of the weekly meals are bought by community groups. West Hull rugby club feeds up to 160 people on Thursdays, for Rees, co-ordinator of the Freedom Food project, said: "The costs are growing and growing... it's just killed us."Sadly, there are going to be hungry families and kids. It's so sad."People will be going to bed and waking up hungry. When you're cold you can put another jumper on but you can't function when you're hungry."Julie, a volunteer at EMS who also uses the service to feed herself and her daughter, said the meals lasted them for two or three days, and they were a "godsend".She added: "Food prices are just going up and up, and sometimes you just can't afford to eat – simple as that."I honestly think people will start to starve because of how expensive supermarket food is getting."
