In February 2020, it was revealed that fewer than one in 20 women released from prison were employed six weeks later. This is three times lower than the rate for men.
Considering that unemployment is one of the biggest reasons for reoffending, this was a worrying statistic. But at the same time, a new organisation was sprouting in Kent to help address this issue in an unexpected way: by growing and selling plants.
The Glasshouse is a social enterprise that trains and employs women prisoners in horticulture. Their mission is to reduce reoffending rates by offering them the skills, confidence, and support to find employment and success after release.
We sat down with co-founder and managing director Kali Hamerton-Stove (52) to learn more about this unique organisation and what kind of impact it’s had.
“We learned that sometimes women were being released with just £47 and a sleeping bag”
Kali’s co-founder, social entrepreneur Melissa Murdoch, was originally inspired to do something with horticulture in prisons while visiting HMP East Sutton Park in Kent. It’s one of two open women’s prisons in the UK, where prisoners can spend time outside the premises for activities like work and education. She’d been invited to take a tour by the Kent Community Foundation.
“Melissa was told that the primary challenges the prison faced were getting women into work and finding them safe housing when they were released,” Kali says. “Women who are released without jobs and homes often find themselves in a reoffending cycle and come back into the system over and over again.”
During her tour, Melissa noticed that the prison had four industrial greenhouses, three of which weren’t being used. Wondering whether there was some way horticulture could help with these issues, she approached her long-time friend, Kali.
Melissa knew that Kali had experience building businesses and shared an interest in biophilic principles – i.e. how incorporating nature into spaces can bring many benefits – including reduced stress and improved mood. Kali’s PR and communications background largely involved helping companies to become more ethical.
Kali says, “We started researching the women’s prison system and became really driven. We learned that sometimes women were being released with just £47 and a sleeping bag.
“We also found out that there are fewer programs for women in prison than men – certainly fewer resettlement programs. Women have really specific needs that often men’s programs might not suit. So we saw a need and an opportunity to do something.”
Next, Kali and Melissa began researching the horticulture industry – Kali even signed up for a course in interior landscaping – and they landed on the idea of growing plants to install in workplaces – such as offices and retail spaces. They planned to employ the prisoners to grow the plants on-site at HMP East Sutton Park and get involved in the installation and maintenance processes.
Kali says, “The plant installation and maintenance business was really thriving in 2019 – and still is. It’s also a great industry for women because it’s quite flexible, supportive, and well-paid – and they offer lots of really interesting benefits.
“So we built a business plan and put forward a proposal to the Ministry of Justice in February of 2020 – and they loved it. A month later, we were in HMP East Sutton Park with our first cohort of women.”
“A big part of our work is helping to address some of the anxieties women have around release”
Since 2020, The Glasshouse team have expanded their services to include selling houseplants via their website and shop, offering Christmas tree and decoration hire, and running workshops on propagating and caring for houseplants.
The women from HMP East Sutton Park are involved in every aspect of the business – from growing plants to packaging them up and working in the shop. This variety, Kali tells us, helps them gain skills necessary for the careers they’d like to pursue upon release. But it’s not just about skills…
Kali says, “A big part of our work is helping to address some of the anxieties women have around release and how they’ll be seen or judged. So, in the shop, they can interact with the local community, who’ve been really supportive.”
Last year, Kali and her team also moved their growing facilities from inside HMP East Sutton Park to the nearby town of Cranbrook.
“That’s worked out really well,” she says. “Because when the women are in prison, we can only pay them prison wages, which are £4 a day. But here, we can pay them a living wage. Part of our program is making sure that they have everything they need to be successful after release, and saving money is a big part of that.”
“One woman [...] got a job in Tesco’s floristry division after release”
![One woman [...] got a job in Tesco’s floristry division after release](https://media.restless.co.uk/uploads/2024/08/one-woman-got-a-job-in-tescos-floristry-division-after-release.jpg)
Another big part of the program is helping women find permanent employment once they leave prison. Some are kept on to work for The Glasshouse, but due to geographical restrictions and limited roles, this isn’t always possible.
“With these women, we work on their CVs and look at what options are in their area,” Kali says. “We have lots of contacts within the horticulture industry, so if it’s appropriate, we’ll reach out.
“A lot of other plant installation and maintenance companies guarantee our women an interview. Even if these don’t work out, they’re still really good practice to get the women ready for interviews and job searching.”
But it’s not just plant installation and maintenance that graduates of The Glasshouse go on to.
Kali says, “One woman wanted to go into floristry, so we supported her a little with that, and she got a job in Tesco’s floristry division after release. She worked there for a long time but recently wrote to us saying that she’d been promoted to a management role. So that was exciting!
“Cook, the frozen foods company, is also a great partner of ours. They’ve hired some of our women to work in their kitchens and shops.
“Some people have even begun their own entrepreneurial activities,” Kali continues. “For example, one woman wanted to start her own propagation and growth project, so we helped secure her a polytunnel to do that. Another is an amazing artist; we supported her by helping her get an Apple Mac so she could start doing her own design. Everyone’s different!”
“Over time, they also become an integral part of the team [...] which raises their self-esteem”
Despite their success over the last four years, as Kali explains, running The Glasshouse isn’t without its challenges.
“We struggle with preconceived notions about prisoners and what they’re capable of,” she says. “We have lovely clients, leaders in their industry, who trust us and have experienced how good we are at what we do. But some companies have said no because they feel like there’s too much risk involved.”
While breaking down these stigmas isn’t one of The Glasshouse’s main objectives at the moment, Kali tells us that it happens naturally due to the excellent work their women do.
“Once the women are with us, we have a long vetting and training process. So by the time they’re in our client’s offices or speaking to our clients, they’re really well-trained. We know them well and they feel confident in what they’re doing.
“Over time, they become an integral part of the team and have been appreciated for the work they’re doing, which raises their self-esteem. So they can put their best foot forward and show what they’re capable of. Then, everyone’s really impressed with them.”
“The feedback was so positive [...] I think everyone felt uplifted by the public’s response to what we were doing”
Recently, the team at The Glasshouse celebrated a milestone when they were invited to exhibit an indoor garden at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.
“We thought it was such a good opportunity to share our story on a wider stage and expose our women to that inspiring environment of horticultural opportunity,” Kali says.
To help with this, the team recreated their original greenhouse at HMP East Sutton Park. They combined their lush planting with aspects you might see in a real prison greenhouse – including prison boots, jackets, and horticultural study books.
As Kali explains, women in prison also wouldn’t have access to typical pots for their plants, so they put them in tin cans and other repurposed containers.
She says, “The women also wanted to show that it’s not just about the physicality of being in a greenhouse, there are all these things going on in our heads too. So we got these beautiful birdcages, and the women filled them with everything they dreamt about or wanted to achieve when they got out.
“People missed baking, so they had things like wooden spoons and baked goods. Some missed fingernail polish and one person missed Marmite. So those were hanging in the greenhouse. That was really lovely and impactful.”
Initially, Kali and her team weren’t sure what the response at Chelsea would be like, but their concerns were soon put to rest. She explains, “My gosh, the feedback was so positive, which had a massive impact on the women. I think everyone felt uplifted by the public’s response to what we were doing.”
In fact, the reaction was so positive that the organisers awarded them with a gold medal.
“It was incredibly moving to walk up and see that gold medal – especially for a lot of these women who’ve never received awards for something they’ve achieved. I still can’t believe it – it just meant so much to everyone.”
“All the people who work for us are so passionate. It’s an amazing team”
Looking to the future, Kali explains that the team at The Glasshouse are focused on growing their business responsibly, all while positively impacting as many women as possible.
“After that, once we have a really strong system in place and have mastered all the nuances of what we’re doing, I hope we’ll be able to expand and offer more training and employment in other women’s prisons. We currently train in two others in Surrey, but I’d like to see that expand further.
“All the people who work for us are so passionate. It’s an amazing team. Everyone believes so strongly in what we do and that makes it a lovely place to work.”
As for anyone looking to start a social enterprise in later life, Kali has this to say…
“Do it! So many people are interested in supporting social businesses. I just think there’s so much opportunity out there. After doing this and seeing the response we’ve had, I’m actually surprised that every business doesn’t have a social impact element.”
To find out more about The Glasshouse and the amazing work they do, head over to their website.
Are you thinking about starting a social enterprise? Or are you inspired by Kali’s story? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
