The HAWCS are a team of hard-working Health & Wellbeing Champions who are prisoners at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire. They have all passed NVQ Level 2 in Understanding Health Improvement.
The teams’ main objective is to improve the Health and Wellbeing of the prisoners and to support them in maintaining positive health changes. The HAWCS are very pro-active and initially greet all new arrivals with an overview of the health services that are available.
Their support and advice includes; healthy eating, BMI and weigh in clinics, stop smoking clinics, support for elderly prisoners, and mental health issues, to name but a few.
The HAWCS identify and refer any prisoners that are ‘of concern’ to the relevant support services for further advice. The work of the team helps to promote and support the rehabilitative culture that is at the centre of all the interventions that are provided at HMP The Mount.
HACRO has recognised the great work of the HAWCS with an Achievement Award.
“HACRO has a long association with HMP The Mount going back over 40 years and many of our volunteers work there. So we’re very pleased to recognise the HAWCS team’s valuable contribution to keeping people safe inside with a HACRO Achievement Award,” said Yasmin Batliwala President of HACRO.