Surprise

I've made it clear to colleagues that I don't do Leaving Doos. I'm happy to go those for other people but not my own. Soooooo..............

Today I was at two establishments on the same site. When I visit these two we follow the same format; the Open jail in the morning and the B Cat in the afternoon. The B Cat is a very special jail; the first therapeutic jail in the country and still the best using any of the important metrics about reoffending and the very real changes it makes for the men who stay there. A senior prison bloke had offered to stand us lunch, I was with two colleagues, before went over to the other nick so we had dined and then wandered over the road.

Through the gate, across the yard and into the main building. Through the hall and into the prison through a door and gate. Turn left along the corridor and then left and through another gate. One of the guys met us and said that there was a leak in one of the rooms we usually use upstairs so we were using a room downstairs. Along the corridor and through the door to find............... All the students there; about 16, and a member of our central team (who I thought was beavering away in an office in Milton Keynes). It was a surprise leaving party for me. Some of the guys spoke as did the senior bloke who had been making sure we arrived on time and also Helen from the central team said a few words. There was a delicious cake baked and iced in the prison with "Thank you Nigel" as well as a buffet and this is the card they'd made and they've all signed. They thought I was retiring - the cheeky things!

I was, and still am, blown away.

I hope I didn't seem too ungrateful as I mumbled something in response but I went prepped to do a particular kind of session and this was turned on its head. We had a very informal chat and mingle and did some of the stuff I normally do around advice and guidance and said our goodbyes.

Leaving any job after a period of time is difficult because of the people we've met and worked with. We can stay in touch with ex-colleagues by phone, text, email or driving round and meeting face to face. These students are different in many ways and a key difference is that it'll not be possible to keep in touch. They will move on from this site and most will stay in the system for a few, or many, years. If I stay working in prisons I might meet one or two as they progress through the system but not many of them - if any.

I know it's a school night but I'm having a beer. It took a long time to get home (made longer by listening to the football) and it gave me time to reflect on what I'll miss about this job - the people; whichever side of the prison fence they are on.