For Barbara who spent two and a half years at HMP Downview, going into prison in her forties was a real shock. “I didn’t feel like a bad person so to find myself inside was really awful.”

Barbara made a conscious decision to make the most of her situation. “When you are on the outside, life can be incredibly busy and you have no time to take stock. I looked around and saw that there were positive things that I could take advantage of.” Although many of the courses offered to her were educationally rather basic, she discovered a talent for pottery, something she had never dreamt of before her imprisonment. She also signed up for a couple of computer courses and found them extremely useful.

In November 2007 Barbara wrote to Startup with an outline of her business plan for setting up a mobile hairdressing. On her release she met up with a Startup business adviser to discuss her ideas. “It’s all very well learning about business management from a book but doing it for real is quite a different thing. Having regular meetings with Startup was so helpful.”

Startup helped Barbara to produce her presentation to deliver at an Entrepreneurship Day at HMP Downview. “I was thrilled when Startup said they would support me to set up my business. Without the money they offered and all the other support I would never have got going.”

Startup helped Barbara design and print her rate/business cards and bought all the hairdressing products she needed. “I am slowly building up my client list – it takes time but I already have my regulars”.

Barbara is now looking to the future with some optimism and knows that Startup is on hand to help whenever she needs it.