Prisoners at HMP Hewell have built a new storage shed for the Arrow Valley parkrun after the event’s old unit started to fall apart.
The free 5km run draws more than 600 runners, joggers and walkers every week. It depends on a large amount of equipment and signage, and all of it needs secure storage.
As the old shed deteriorated, the future of the popular event came under threat. Organisers turned to social media to appeal for help.
The response brought together volunteers, prison staff, prisoners and local tradespeople. Work on the new structure started a year ago.
Rachel Gould, event director and a volunteer at the parkrun, said a parkrunner from Redditch Run Buddies helped to coordinate the project. Prisoners at Hewell carried out the build.
“We were struggling because our old shed was no longer usable,” she said. “One of our parkrunners, who also works within the Prison Service, stepped in and helped arrange for a new shed to be made by prisoners. It’s been incredible to see that happen.”
According to Ms Gould, work on the shed finally came to an end on 21 January. Putting it in place took time because of continuing work at the lake’s café. She said the café had been through significant improvements, which made the replacement less than simple.
Reuben Reeves, owner of the local firm R.R Groundworks & Landscaping, assembled the shed on site with a colleague. Both gave their time and equipment free of charge.
“It’s so lovely to see how everyone came together to make this happen,” Ms Gould said. “Local business owners gave up their time, prisoners worked hard to build it, and multiple organisations supported us. It really means a lot to the parkrun team and the wider community.”
HMP Hewell is a Category B reception prison for men in the West Midlands. Its last full inspection took place in September 2025. Inspectors rated respect as reasonably good. They judged safety, purposeful activity and preparation for release as not sufficiently good.
