15 March 2024

By Tim Koch

Tim Koch on an imaginative scheme that uses rowing to reduce reoffending among former prisoners.

The Boats Not Bars section of the FRBC website explains:

The (British) Government’s own assessment of the prison system is that it “fails to rehabilitate or make sure criminals are prevented from offending again”.

The economic cost to society is an estimated £18.1bn per year, and a priceless cost in wasted human potential. Put simply, the aim of the Boats Not Bars program is to reduce reoffending.

The cost per prison place, per year, is £48,774, rising to over £70k for 15-17-year-olds.

A staggering 48% of prison leavers re-offend within 1 year of release.

And yet, there is a simple method to tackle this problem. Research commissioned by the Ministry of Justice states that “participation (in sport) can not only improve health and behaviour but can directly contribute to efforts to reduce reoffending”, and that “physical and mental health needs are recognised as key areas to be addressed in attempts to reduce reoffending”…

As one HMP Wandsworth participant stated, “I’ve been here two years, and this is the only worthwhile thing that I’ve done. Otherwise, I get up, I have a shower, sit in my cell, wander around the wing. I know way more criminals now than I did before I came here.”

Boats Not Bars helps make prison a one-off punishment for a crime, and not the start of a continuous cycle of crime and punishment. The program is a 6-8 week indoor rowing course delivered in prison.

Imogen Walsh’s biography on the FRBC website says:

Imogen took up rowing at university, a hobby that, after finishing her degree and working for a Scottish based development charity, then became a full-time occupation, as a member of the GB Rowing Team from 2011-2016. What followed was various coaching roles around the world, before deciding to use her coaching skills for a broader social and physical well-being objective. In 2019, Imogen joined FRBC to head up our prisons rowing project “Boats Not Bars”…

The piece below has been reproduced from the “News” section of the FRBC website.

The following is written by a prisoner who has taken part in the Boats not Bars program. He is currently studying for a law degree whilst behind bars. Since taking part in the rowing course, he continues to row, and after passing his British Rowing indoor coaching certificate, is helping as Assistant Coach on current courses at the prison.

My story of the experience indoor rowing

At the age of 20, I made a mistake that has cost me my freedom. After a night out and a bit to drink, I made the wrong choices and acted out of impulse. Things moved at 100mph; a fight has broken out and two people are left with life changing injuries that were caused by my lack of self-control and discipline. There has not been one day since that night that I haven’t reflected and regretted my actions. Looking back, my actions would be way different. We can’t change the past actions but we can learn from those actions and change how we will react in the future. 

Prison is a place that can have a major effect on your mental and physical health. We are judged and put down for our crimes and not seen equal anymore. Spend five minutes having a conversation with me and you will change your mind and perspective. 

Taking responsibility for what has happened and don’t look for the easy way out or blame others = step one in developing your character. 

Life teaches us many things. It taught me that we can learn; it taught me that we can change. Change will only happen if you put time and effort to break the chain of bad habits. 

Prison has changed me, for I made sure I dedicated my time to progress and development. 

I’ve studied different courses, whilst reading and building on the knowledge and experience of life inside. Understanding who you are. Being in the same room by yourself for 365 days can get boring and you run out of things to do. Planning and setting goals that improve my skills and understanding of life. I was introduced to rowing by (a prison officer). After a gym session he handed me some books as he knew I like to read. After reading Redemption and seeing a high-risk prisoner change and become a role model to so many people has motivated me. 

We are born to achieve and make the best of any situation.

When the Boats not Bars course was introduced in (my prison), this was my chance to take part in rowing. A sport that I never had any idea of. I was happy to try something new. 

Imogen Walsh is an amazing and well-spoken ex pro athlete of the sport. People will have their opinions and ideas about prisoners. She didn’t and that was reflected in the way she spoke and asked us questions to try to get to know us.

Rowing for me is a mirror image of life.

Set a distance and a goal and work to achieve it. Life is a race with ups and downs, and it depends how you want to have that race. 

We all start with a starting and finishing line.

My first 30km was one of the hardest things that I have done in my life. This was 10 out of 10 and mentally hard to keep on the rowing set. We all have limitations and breaking point; we need to challenge ourselves and get over them. Find out what you stand for and what makes you feel good and like you have completed something. Life is not easy and fair but you have to give it your best shot. After three and a half years behind the same door it has taught me something. How to be patient and appreciate the small things in life. All our actions will have a domino effect on the ones you love; don’t be selfish, make the best of today.

After completing a six week rowing course it has helped me to make better decisions and understand things in a different way. 

(A group of prisoners) have taken part in a charity event, where a group of us have challenged ourselves to row as much as we can in a day. It has given us purpose, feeling of giving back and being part of something. 

I was lucky to be picked for the opportunity to go out on (Release on Temporary Licence) to Fulham Reach Boat Club. It was a great experience being able to practice my new skills in a real rowing boat. 

The skills that I have learned from rowing I can transfer to treat life. Patience, persistence and determination, all skills that I will be able to take away and use in life and inside. 

I am 100% sure that after this experience I can conduct myself better, as a law-abiding citizen and not repeat the same mistake. 

A short video by Warren King, by another ex-offender who benefited from FRBC’s Boat Not Bars programme, is on YouTube. In it, Warren says that, before he discovered rowing, he did not have any friends who did not take drugs.

If you would like to make a donation to the program, and help not just the participant but the families and communities that surround that person, please click here.