A day in the life of a convict.
The convicts set off on their journey to prison.
On arrival in Birmingham, coupled to grown ups, the children explored things that the city centre had to offer. The Christmas markets were explored, followed by a trip to the library where silence had to be observed. The roof top garden gave views stretching far further than the banished children would see for the next 24 hours at least.
An hour off for good behaviour meant fair ground rides were tried and contraband purchased and a very good time was had.
Then…..the real punishment began. The accused were about to be detained.
Their fate awaited…..
On arrival at the prison, the prison officer explained the rules which HAD to be observed.
Healthy and safety needed to be understood and respected at all times.
The food was to be expected and in line with what prisoner’s were expected to eat.
The living conditions were basic, offering nothing more than a concrete bench and a floor with bedding that had to be supplied by the convicts themselves.
Prison Manager Alex turned out the be a lenient prison officer and said that the prisoners had to stay but only on one condition, they had fun……lots of fun 😊
A guided tour of the prison took place, learning about the history of the building and policing since the Victorian era.
Murder mystery completed, a prison issue pot noodle was given for sustenance, followed by some free time.
The convicts were then asked to regroup to watch an informative film about a bear (from deepest darkest Peru) who was wrongly convicted and how justice prevailed in the end. Prison snacks were provided.
A night in the cells followed.
The prisoners awoke early. Cells were cleaned and tidied before breakfast.
They had done their time.
Bags packed and contraband bundled into an unmarked white van outside the prison and the accused, now innocent were set free.!!!!
It turned out that the prisoners were held unfairly. They were not guilty of anything other than having a good time.
Their compensation for being wrongly held was to take a trip to Think Tank Science Museum and have as much fun as possible.
Armed with a hearty packed lunch, the innocent made their way to four floors of fun learning with lots to explore before returning safely on the train back to freedom.
They had the best time and hopefully learned a little along the way.
As a parent and a volunteer, this weekend showed what wonderful young people we have locally. They have had a fabulous weekend of learning life skills whilst having fun thanks to Scouting.
It just shows how much impact a small group of volunteers can have. The Young People have all had the best time, and so did the Leaders. Please get in touch if you would like to join the Scout movement and give back 😊
