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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The woman famed for transforming failing prisons
One of the first female governors of a men's prison in the UK, Veronica Bird, has spoken about her experiences as part of a year-long celebration of "remarkable" women. During her 35-year career in the prison service, Ms Bird was governor of Armley Prison in Leeds as well as New Hall in Wakefield. Now, she is speaking as part of Women Winning, a project that celebrates women in Harrogate. Born in Barnsley, Ms Bird joined the prison service in 1968 at Holloway Prison in London where she met violent prisoners such as Myra Hindley. She has now retired for a quieter life in Harrogate. "Armley Prison was a huge shock to the system," she says. "Being one of the first females in the prison, the transition, not just with staff, but with the prisoners as well. "When women started to work in male prisons, it made a huge difference. The men were respectful. They stopped using bad language when the female prison officers were present. It calmed them down. "It reduced the assaults and fights but, slowly over the past 25 years, it's just gone down and down and they don't care about who's in charge, who's looking after them and that's sad." Ms Bird says the worsening conditions in prisons are largely due to the influx of drugs. "People often say why can't you stop drugs coming into the prison? Well, they swallow them wrapped in cling film, wrapped in condoms. They secrete them internally," she says. "We used to have books coming into the prison and the men would put the powder between the pages and lick them. They would throw oranges over the prison fence. "We had to stop selling Polo mints in prison and we had to stop selling bananas because they would dry the skin and mix it with the cannabis to make it go further. "It's sad to see parents bringing drugs in for their children in prison. So it is a huge, huge battle." Ms Bird says she was disappointed to see a number of recent cases of prison officers having relationships with inmates and taking drugs into institutions. "Sadly, the conduct of some staff taking contraband into prisons has grown. The relationships with prisoners. That's taken off enormously. "Myra Hindley had an affair with officer Patricia Cairns and plotted her escape. So it's not something new but it is increasing all the time. "When I was at Styal Prison, a female prisoner sentenced to life made a complaint that she was being abused by a prison officer in the cleaning cupboard. "I was given the job of investigating and there were sacks full of beautiful underwear, nighties and goodness knows what that this male officer had taken in for her and other prisoners. "But fortunately, the investigation came to a very quick end because he did the right thing and resigned there and then. "The prisoner didn't complain to the police because she had no trust in the police. And she told the area manager the only person that she would trust to do a fair investigation was me." During her time running prisons, Ms Bird became recognised for transforming failing institutions. She was asked to work on what was known as Grisley Risley in Warrington and Brockhill Prison in the Midlands, which she said was the UK's worst prison at the time. "I was given the most difficult prison, the worst prison in the country," she says. "I had no more money than the previous governor, no more staff. But I got the staff together and they changed that prison within one year. It was amazing. "The conditions in 1995 in that women's prison were worse than when I joined in 1968. "The poor staff were having to have their lunch in a prison cell. If you don't treat staff with respect, how are you going to get them to treat prisoners with respect? "Nobody wants to work in a terrible prison. It's not good for them. So everybody rallied round," she says. Ms Bird has high praise for the work of Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, who employs ex-prisoners to work in Timpson shops. "He's on the right track. Give people a second chance," she says. "How lucky I was to be given a chance in the prison service. Two years I thought I'd be there. But, 35 years later, I was still there and continued in retirement working in jobs to do with prison." During her time in the service, Ms Bird watched over members of the IRA such as Old Bailey bombers the Price Sisters, Rose Dugdale, and the Birmingham Six – who were later exonerated. She "gave her life" to prisons, she says, never having had a family or partner of her own. "Leaving Brockhill, the staff said to me: 'Governor, please can we give some advice - don't give your life to the next prison, like you have given to this prison.' And yes, I suppose I gave my life to prisons and prisoners," she says. "But I couldn't have coped with marriage, family, so I have given my whole life." Ms Bird was awarded an OBE in 2000 and turned her life story into a book, co-written with Richard Newman, called Veronica's Bird, which was published in 2018. Today she tours the UK, giving talks to prison and police officers as well as members of the public. Lynne Mee, co-founder of Women Winning, said it had been a delight to meet Ms Bird through the Harrogate project. She said: "There's lots of amazing and inspirational women living in Harrogate. Veronica did a talk last evening to 70 people and you could have heard a pin drop. We laughed, cried and everything in between." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Mobile 'prison' used to teach children about crime Prison officers deal drugs and ask inmates for sex, BBC told Prison violence harming rehabilitation - families
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The woman famed for transforming failing prisons
One of the first female governors of a men's prison in the UK, Veronica Bird, has spoken about her experiences as part of a year-long celebration of "remarkable" women. During her 35-year career in the prison service, Ms Bird was governor of Armley Prison in Leeds as well as New Hall in Wakefield. Now, she is speaking as part of Women Winning, a project that celebrates women in Harrogate. Born in Barnsley, Ms Bird joined the prison service in 1968 at Holloway Prison in London where she met violent prisoners such as Myra Hindley. She has now retired for a quieter life in Harrogate. "Armley Prison was a huge shock to the system," she says. "Being one of the first females in the prison, the transition, not just with staff, but with the prisoners as well. "When women started to work in male prisons, it made a huge difference. The men were respectful. They stopped using bad language when the female prison officers were present. It calmed them down. "It reduced the assaults and fights but, slowly over the past 25 years, it's just gone down and down and they don't care about who's in charge, who's looking after them and that's sad." Ms Bird says the worsening conditions in prisons are largely due to the influx of drugs. "People often say why can't you stop drugs coming into the prison? Well, they swallow them wrapped in cling film, wrapped in condoms. They secrete them internally," she says. "We used to have books coming into the prison and the men would put the powder between the pages and lick them. They would throw oranges over the prison fence. "We had to stop selling Polo mints in prison and we had to stop selling bananas because they would dry the skin and mix it with the cannabis to make it go further. "It's sad to see parents bringing drugs in for their children in prison. So it is a huge, huge battle." Ms Bird says she was disappointed to see a number of recent cases of prison officers having relationships with inmates and taking drugs into institutions. "Sadly, the conduct of some staff taking contraband into prisons has grown. The relationships with prisoners. That's taken off enormously. "Myra Hindley had an affair with officer Patricia Cairns and plotted her escape. So it's not something new but it is increasing all the time. "When I was at Styal Prison, a female prisoner sentenced to life made a complaint that she was being abused by a prison officer in the cleaning cupboard. "I was given the job of investigating and there were sacks full of beautiful underwear, nighties and goodness knows what that this male officer had taken in for her and other prisoners. "But fortunately, the investigation came to a very quick end because he did the right thing and resigned there and then. "The prisoner didn't complain to the police because she had no trust in the police. And she told the area manager the only person that she would trust to do a fair investigation was me." During her time running prisons, Ms Bird became recognised for transforming failing institutions. She was asked to work on what was known as Grisley Risley in Warrington and Brockhill Prison in the Midlands, which she said was the UK's worst prison at the time. "I was given the most difficult prison, the worst prison in the country," she says. "I had no more money than the previous governor, no more staff. But I got the staff together and they changed that prison within one year. It was amazing. "The conditions in 1995 in that women's prison were worse than when I joined in 1968. "The poor staff were having to have their lunch in a prison cell. If you don't treat staff with respect, how are you going to get them to treat prisoners with respect? "Nobody wants to work in a terrible prison. It's not good for them. So everybody rallied round," she says. Ms Bird has high praise for the work of Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, who employs ex-prisoners to work in Timpson shops. "He's on the right track. Give people a second chance," she says. "How lucky I was to be given a chance in the prison service. Two years I thought I'd be there. But, 35 years later, I was still there and continued in retirement working in jobs to do with prison." During her time in the service, Ms Bird watched over members of the IRA such as Old Bailey bombers the Price Sisters, Rose Dugdale, and the Birmingham Six – who were later exonerated. She "gave her life" to prisons, she says, never having had a family or partner of her own. "Leaving Brockhill, the staff said to me: 'Governor, please can we give some advice - don't give your life to the next prison, like you have given to this prison.' And yes, I suppose I gave my life to prisons and prisoners," she says. "But I couldn't have coped with marriage, family, so I have given my whole life." Ms Bird was awarded an OBE in 2000 and turned her life story into a book, co-written with Richard Newman, called Veronica's Bird, which was published in 2018. Today she tours the UK, giving talks to prison and police officers as well as members of the public. Lynne Mee, co-founder of Women Winning, said it had been a delight to meet Ms Bird through the Harrogate project. She said: "There's lots of amazing and inspirational women living in Harrogate. Veronica did a talk last evening to 70 people and you could have heard a pin drop. We laughed, cried and everything in between." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Mobile 'prison' used to teach children about crime Prison officers deal drugs and ask inmates for sex, BBC told Prison violence harming rehabilitation - families
BBC News
20 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Veronica Bird: The Harrogate woman famed for transforming prisons
One of the first female governors of a men's prison in the UK, Veronica Bird, has spoken about her experiences as part of a year-long celebration of "remarkable" her 35-year career in the prison service, Ms Bird was governor of Armley Prison in Leeds as well as New Hall in she is speaking as part of Women Winning, a project that celebrates women in in Barnsley, Ms Bird joined the prison service in 1968 at Holloway Prison in London where she met violent prisoners such as Myra has now retired for a quieter life in Harrogate."Armley Prison was a huge shock to the system," she says."Being one of the first females in the prison, the transition, not just with staff, but with the prisoners as well."When women started to work in male prisons, it made a huge difference. The men were respectful. They stopped using bad language when the female prison officers were present. It calmed them down."It reduced the assaults and fights but, slowly over the past 25 years, it's just gone down and down and they don't care about who's in charge, who's looking after them and that's sad." Ms Bird says the worsening conditions in prisons are largely due to the influx of drugs."People often say why can't you stop drugs coming into the prison? Well, they swallow them wrapped in cling film, wrapped in condoms. They secrete them internally," she says."We used to have books coming into the prison and the men would put the powder between the pages and lick them. They would throw oranges over the prison fence."We had to stop selling Polo mints in prison and we had to stop selling bananas because they would dry the skin and mix it with the cannabis to make it go further."It's sad to see parents bringing drugs in for their children in prison. So it is a huge, huge battle."Ms Bird says she was disappointed to see a number of recent cases of prison officers having relationships with inmates and taking drugs into institutions."Sadly, the conduct of some staff taking contraband into prisons has grown. The relationships with prisoners. That's taken off enormously."Myra Hindley had an affair with officer Patricia Cairns and plotted her escape. So it's not something new but it is increasing all the time."When I was at Styal Prison, a female prisoner sentenced to life made a complaint that she was being abused by a prison officer in the cleaning cupboard."I was given the job of investigating and there were sacks full of beautiful underwear, nighties and goodness knows what that this male officer had taken in for her and other prisoners."But fortunately, the investigation came to a very quick end because he did the right thing and resigned there and then."The prisoner didn't complain to the police because she had no trust in the police. And she told the area manager the only person that she would trust to do a fair investigation was me." During her time running prisons, Ms Bird became recognised for transforming failing was asked to work on what was known as Grisley Risley in Warrington and Brockhill Prison in the Midlands, which she said was the UK's worst prison at the time."I was given the most difficult prison, the worst prison in the country," she says."I had no more money than the previous governor, no more staff. But I got the staff together and they changed that prison within one year. It was amazing."The conditions in 1995 in that women's prison were worse than when I joined in 1968."The poor staff were having to have their lunch in a prison cell. If you don't treat staff with respect, how are you going to get them to treat prisoners with respect?"Nobody wants to work in a terrible prison. It's not good for them. So everybody rallied round," she Bird has high praise for the work of Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, who employs ex-prisoners to work in Timpson shops. "He's on the right track. Give people a second chance," she says."How lucky I was to be given a chance in the prison service. Two years I thought I'd be there. But, 35 years later, I was still there and continued in retirement working in jobs to do with prison." During her time in the service, Ms Bird watched over members of the IRA such as Old Bailey bombers the Price Sisters, Rose Dugdale, and the Birmingham Six – who were later "gave her life" to prisons, she says, never having had a family or partner of her own."Leaving Brockhill, the staff said to me: 'Governor, please can we give some advice - don't give your life to the next prison, like you have given to this prison.' And yes, I suppose I gave my life to prisons and prisoners," she says."But I couldn't have coped with marriage, family, so I have given my whole life."Ms Bird was awarded an OBE in 2000 and turned her life story into a book, co-written with Richard Newman, called Veronica's Bird, which was published in she tours the UK, giving talks to prison and police officers as well as members of the Mee, co-founder of Women Winning, said it had been a delight to meet Ms Bird through the Harrogate said: "There's lots of amazing and inspirational women living in Harrogate. Veronica did a talk last evening to 70 people and you could have heard a pin drop. We laughed, cried and everything in between." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tributes to Wakefield's 'Chestnut Man' billed 'local legend'
There are plans for a permanent memorial to a street vendor from Wakefield after an "unprecendented" reaction to his death. Allan Jones, better known as The Chestnut Man, passed away last month, having been a regular fixture in the city centre for decades, most recently trading on who was 71, inherited the stall from his father Jonah in 1980 and, accompanied by his beloved dog Albert, was trading until shortly before his Riley, who described himself as one of Allan's closest friends, said he was "a character and a half". Austin, 54, said he was 13 when he first met Allan at Thornes Park Fun Fair and began working as his assistant."We would travel up and down the country in the summer and be back in Wakefield in winter selling chestnuts."Allan's father opened the stall in 1959, trading underneath the famous clock tower at the old bus station and the former Ahmed, a Wakefield councillor born and bred in the city, said the stall was known to several generations of reaction to Allan's death locally had been "unprecedented", he added."A lot of people won't know him as Allan, they would have known him as The Chestnut Man."He was the reason kids tried chestnuts in the first place." Austin said: "He was a people's person. He liked to know all the gossip."He was always laughing and joking. I'll miss him truly deeply."A spokesperson for Wakefield Council described Allan as a "local legend".A fundraising page set up for a permanent memorial to him had raised almost £500 by Saturday afternoon."I'm hoping that he's recognised," said Ahmed."It's right that Wakefield recognises some of the people that were famous in their own way." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Regional SA councils struggling to pay for roads call for fairer funding model
South Australian councils say the system for funding road upgrades and maintenance is unbalanced and unfair. Wakefield Regional Council is responsible for a 2,687-kilometre road network, which is longer than the distance between Adelaide and Perth. The council has a lower-than-average population of 6,780 people. It means the council has a lower annual revenue to fund road projects. "Three or four years ago we did a complete analysis of our road network and we worked out we had a $16 million backlog of road upgrades waiting for us," Mayor Rodney Reid said. He said the council created a program to address the backlog by allocating additional money every year for a 10-year period. "Even then, after 10 years, we won't get it back to zero, that's the level of difficulty a regional council like us faces," Mr Reid said. He said the funding demand for road upgrades and maintenance meant the council had to put off other projects. "We've got masterplans for various sporting precincts and we can't really do anything on it unless we get specific funding for it," he said. Councils receive money from the South Australian Grants Commission, which the state government funds. The federal government funds the state government. Mr Reid said he had written to the grants commission asking for a fairer system for regional councils. The commission said it was examining the distribution process to ensure it was fair. "The commission is currently looking at elements of this methodology, including the proposal put to it by the Wakefield Regional Council regarding the distribution of identified local road grants," a spokesperson said. A state government spokesperson said the commission was an independent body that made recommendations for the distribution of grants in accordance with Commonwealth legislation. South Australia receives 5.5 per cent of the identified local roads grants component of financial assistance grants. However, South Australia's population represents 7 per cent of the nation's total population. It has 11.7 per cent of the nation's local road network. The Mid Murray Council has a population of 9,160 people and the second largest road network in the state at 3,386km. Its chief executive, Simone Bailey, said regional councils did not receive enough funding from the federal government. "A lot of that money from the feds is going to councils in the metro area, who don't need funding," she said. A parliamentary inquiry is examining the sustainability of local governments, with an interim report from February highlighting a need for increased funding to Australia's 537 local governments. Wakefield Regional Council received $4.7 million over five years through the federal government's Roads to Recovery program, while Ms Bailey's Mid Murray received $5.8 million. The City of Onkaparinga in Adelaide's south, which received $20.9 million, is responsible for a smaller road network of 1,530km. Ms Bailey said her council's cost-cutting measures, such as closing the Mannum Pool last summer, had hit communities hard. "It was costing us $35,000, which, maybe to some other councils that's not much but for us, it's a lot," she said. "We're not like city councils where we can have huge parking stations or other forms of income. "It was one of the hottest, driest summers on record and the town of Mannum didn't have a pool." A total of 0.51 per cent — $3.45 billion — is allocated to local governments in this year's federal budget, with some council funding put up for tender as competitive grants. Southern Mallee Council Mayor Ron Valentine said a tender system favoured larger councils. "It's prejudicial against small councils like ours because the big players in town, big growth councils, have professional grant writers, directors and all the support teams to be able to come up with really great glossy tenders," he said. "Even if we wanted to put a tender in, it's problematic because we don't have all those assets to put to it. "And then, there's no guarantee you're going to get the money." Mr Valentine said he had raised his concerns with federal government representatives. He said the government already knew who needed funding. "What's not coming is enough money from the federal government to do it," he said. Federal Minister for Regional Development Kristy McBain said the government had initiated the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Financial Sustainability of Local Government, which was the first of its kind in two decades. "We look forward to receiving the final report of the inquiry," she said.
