Students get a taste of porridge

Oulder Hill students spend time in the replica cell

School pupils spoke to two serving prisoners and spent time in a replica jail cell as part of a project to deter them from a life of crime and  to make the students aware of the devastating impact that prison could have on their lives.

The Prison Me? No Way! sessions at Hollingworth Business and Enterprise College and Oulder Hill Community School gave Year 9 students the chance to talk to two current inmates about how imprisonment had affected them.

In addition the pupils spent time inside the replica cell, tried on prison uniforms - consisting of second-hand clothes that had been worn by other prisoners - and took part in role-playing as victims of anti-social behaviour.

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) worked with national charity the No Way Trust together with the Police, Prison Service, Fire Service, Community Magistrates and Rochdale Borough Council to raise awareness of the serious consequences of crime.

Ruth Sillence, RBH Communities First Co-ordinator, said: "We have lots of wonderful young people across our neighbourhoods and we’re determined to do everything we can to allow them to achieve their full potential.

“Part of this involves ensuring that they realise what a grim experience prison is and how harmful it can be to their personal lives and future careers.

“As our borough is officially the World Capital of co-operatives, it’s also fitting that we were able to work with a number of other organisations to bring this important message home.”