Southern Culture
Did You Know?
OU
The UK's largest university, The Open University, has its headquarters in Milton Keynes.
Tide Mills
Offenders learning skills by protecting our heritage
Tide Mills in Bishopstone, Newhaven, was the largest tidal mill in Sussex in the 19th Century
and as such represents an important part of local history. However, it has been sadly
neglected since it was effectively destroyed by the Royal Artillery at the beginning of
World War Two as part of the Coastal Defence Strategy.
Through this project English Heritage Outreach Department (EH) and Sussex Probation
Community Punishment (CP) worked in partnership to increase public access to the site
and to clear the site of debris and overgrowth, making the remaining walls far more
visible. Approximately 50 offenders have taken part, between the ages of 17-60, over the
last year. Ex-offenders often experience high levels of exclusion from society and
employment opportunities. The South East region has a disproportionately high number of
prisons compared to other regions in the country, so re-settlement is an important issue.
Enhanced Community Punishment aims to develop community service by involving
offenders in projects that have a focus on increasing the personal skills and employability
of participants. To work in and for the care of the historic environment has proved,
through a previous community project (Whitehawk School Air Raid shelter), to be an
excellent way of adding value to offer a more meaningful experience for ex-offenders.
The project at Tide Mills offers the very practical work which ECP aim to provide whilst
developing interpretation for the site will provide opportunities for the participants to find
out about the historic environment and develop useful research skills, basic ICT and
presentations skills invaluable for future employment.
Groups of approximately eight offenders worked on the site for a day twice a week from
November 2003. From May - September 2004 the group learnt about historical
interpretation through a series of guided tours, intensive research and six workshops.
Following a successful launch in September 2004, the Brighton Community Punishment
team have made a commitment to the site to ensure it remains accessible to the public
and is looked after for the moment. However other local partners will share this
responsibility and eventually take over care of the site.