HMP Peterborough wins prestigious cleaning award through its Cleaning Academy
The prison, operated by Sodexo via its subsidiary Sodexo Justice Services, picked up the Accredited Trainer of the Year at the BICSc Awards on Thursday 17 September, for its accredited course that has helped roughly 160 prisoners achieve a BICSc qualification in the past 18 months.
The course is delivered across 12 modules, where prisoners learn about chemical competence, COSHH, Health and Safety, electrical safety, and bio-hazard cleaning. It enables prisoners to be eligible for numerous cleaning roles across the country upon release, as well as being able to set up their own cleaning business.
Cleaning Academy, which is run by five employees, started off running the course in a cleaning cupboard and this has since developed into a classroom, with separate learning areas and practical spaces.
There were a record number of entries at the BICSc Awards this year.
Grant Clarke, BICSc Assessor and member of the Cleaning Academy at HMP Peterborough, said: “This win means a great deal to the team, who consistently deliver high-quality BICSc accredited training, preparing prisoners to find secure employment upon release. The Cleaning Academy not only enables prisoners to get important skills and experience in the cleaning industry, but it also helps them build their self-confidence, it provides purpose and supports rehabilitation.
“We are all incredibly proud to be recognised by BICSc, and what this means for the high standards we maintain at HMP Peterborough.”