25 August 2026 –
More than 150 people gathered at LandWorks in Dartington on Friday 21 August for our annual Supporters Day — an event that offered a powerful reminder of what effective rehabilitation and resettlement can achieve.
With the prison system under unprecedented pressure, the day provided an opportunity to look beyond the statistics and see the people, relationships and practical support at the heart of LandWorks’ approach.
Supporters, partners, volunteers and stakeholders were invited to explore the charity’s carpentry workshop, market garden, pottery and health and wellbeing yurt. They also met current trainees, graduates and members of the LandWorks team, gaining a first-hand insight into how the project helps people rebuild their lives outside the criminal justice system.
Thanks to generous prizes kindly donated by local businesses including The Bull Inn, Green Table Café, Albatross Pizza Shop, Welly’s Café, and Voyager Coffee, the raffle raised £860 – a new record. Sales from the LandWorks shop, including wooden gifts, ceramics and fresh produce, raised a further £1,400.
A fundraising campaign launched ahead of Supporters Day also secured more than £5,000 a year in new regular donations from supporters signing up in the run-up to and during the event.
In his welcome speech, Project Director Chris Parsons reflected on some of LandWorks’ achievements over the past year. They included a visit from The Princess Royal; recognition from the Ministry of Justice Data Lab that LandWorks’ low reoffending rates are statistically significant; the hugely successful Sandridge Park Open Garden weekend, which raised more than £14,500; and the impressive efforts of LandWorks trainees and team members in the Plymouth Half Marathon.
“But perhaps the most important success story,” said Chris, “is the tremendous number of achievements from the graduates – people who have moved on from LandWorks, from securing jobs within the probation service, to gaining jobs on construction sites, setting up delivery companies, promotions at work, babies, weddings and really building family relationships and contacts.”
Recently appointed Chair of Trustees Dr. Sarah Wollaston went on to thank the trainees and graduates, as well as the individual LandWorks team members whose effort, commitment to, and belief in LandWorks are so central to its success. She also paid tribute to her predecessor as Chair of Trustees, Ted Tuppen, “who has given so much to LandWorks over the years, contributing generously with his expertise and knowledge.”
Ted was presented with a LandWorks chopping board signed by all the team members.
Torquay Probation Officer, Gabriel Broaders, has worked with LandWorks since its inception and has referred more than 100 trainees to the resettlement project. In his address to supporters, he reflected on the success of LandWorks and why he remains such a keen advocate.
“Politicians on both sides talk tough on crime … but nobody wants to talk about rehabilitation,” said Gabriel. “Rehabilitation is not about being soft on crime, it’s about being effective in preventing the next crime. And LandWorks is very much a part of that thinking,” he explained. “Rehabilitation does not mean excusing crime; it means helping people understand the harm they have done and to develop the ability not to make that choice in the future. Rehabilitation is hard work, but LandWorks confronts it and we see the results. It’s an amazing project.”
Since LandWorks opened its doors in July 2013, it has helped more than 300 people leaving prison, or at risk of going to prison, to find a route back into the community and employment through a combination of vocational skills training, practical living support and counselling. Some 93% of former trainees seeking employment are in work, while fewer than 6% go on to reoffend within a year.
Looking ahead, Chris provided an update on LandWorks‘ ‘Reimagining Rehabilitation and Resettlement’ report, which aims to set out how the project can be replicated. “We have been working very hard to understand what makes the LandWork’s model work, and we are quite clear on that. We are exploring the possible options, and what principles may be shared more widely, and we will be making an announcement next year as to our next steps.”
