Inmates at HMP Lincoln are now being offered unlimited porridge sachets and bread each morning after complaining that their breakfast portions were too small. The change follows reports from the Independent Monitoring Board, which noted that prisoners often praised the food at the Category B prison but found the breakfast packs insufficient.
Previously, each prisoner received a standard breakfast pack containing a packet of cereal, milk, a slice of bread, jam, butter, and sachets of coffee and sugar. The new provisions include toasters and unlimited bread and porridge packs, allowing inmates to enjoy a hot breakfast on the wings. The board's report stated that these additions are "very much appreciated."
The term "doing porridge" has been British slang for serving a prison sentence since the 1950s, and was popularised by the 1970s sitcom Porridge starring Ronnie Barker. The irony is not lost on the 540 inmates at HMP Lincoln, who now have access to the very meal that gave the phrase its name.
Despite the breakfast improvements, the report noted that the prison kitchen is managed to a high standard despite staff shortages and equipment breakdowns. Meals are served on time and in adequate quantities, catering to various religious and dietary requirements. The prison also operates a call centre staffed by inmates for regime queries.
In a separate development, guards at HMP Grendon in Buckinghamshire have resorted to using baby monitors to check on prisoners at night due to a lack of in-cell toilets. The monitors alert staff when inmates need the lavatory or are in a vulnerable state, after cell bells were not always answered within the recommended three minutes.
