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A group of students at Friarton recently secured a start-up loan of £266.01 for their company, F81 Aces, in Friarton Prison, Perth. On 25 April, the group of 6 boys delivered their presentation and distributed copies of their business plan to an audience of YES staff, the governor and deputy governor of Friarton, other staff and members of the Visiting Committee.
F81 Aces is the first company to go through the Mean Business Programme at Friarton, which the governors introduced with the aim of giving the inmates an opportunity they can’t usually get. YES trainer Lindsay Philp worked with the boys over the course of 13 weeks to help them develop their product, define their roles, undertake market research, come up with a name for the company and set up as a fully operational venture.
After some market research comprising of questionnaires (with an excellent return rate of 87%!) the company identified a unique gap in the Friarton market; prisoners coming from Polmont found that they could no longer get Pringles or Pot Noodles as these were not available in Friarton’s canteen.
Confident they had found a niche market, the boys researched how they might source and import their product. The solution was that prisoners, who had weekend release from Friarton’s semi-open prison, would go with staff to buy the supplies and these would then be brought back and stored within the building.
As the goods were pre-packaged, they were already of a high quality and this meant that the boys didn’t need a product prototype and could move straight on to the marketing of their product, which was done by advertising and word-of- mouth.
Not only have the boys introduced a new product into Friarton but Pot Noodles are the same price as in Polmont, therefore F81 Aces has achieved its goal of selling “a product that is affordable, simple and different and would appeal to the majority of inmates who would become our customers.”
In order to ensure there was always enough stock, the boys planned for a high turnover to include 1 day’s extra contingency supplies. The boys also planned for a degree of staff turnover (due to liberations etc) and in future plan to replace members as they leave.
By reinvesting some of the profits in the business, the boys hope to develop future lines, including a toiletry pack, containing flip-flops for the shower, toothbrush, toothpaste and other basics that prisoners may not have when they arrive. Indeed the name ‘F81 Aces’ was chosen as “we thought it was catchy and did not tie us into one service or product but did with the prison F81 (Friarton Hall, 81 Edinburgh Road)”
For the rest of their profits, 10% will go to the ‘canteen sheet’, 15-20% into the Common Good Fund (to help other prisoners buy ‘box movies’ etc) and charities in Perth (the aim is to save up over 6 months and donate).
Did they think about paying themselves a wage? In answer to this question from the audience, the boys’ consensus was that they get enough already and if they were able to give more to charities as an option, then this was what they would do. An illustration, if needed, that YES courses have an impact beyond simply teaching business skills.
The future for Friarton? It is hoped that this will be the first of many Mean Business companies in the prison and the prisoners hope for this, too, being “grateful for the chance to do the Programme.” For the boys themselves, they gave a very successful second presentation to their families, and they hope in the future to perhaps give a possible presentation at the end of the loan when they have paid this back.
Having secured 3 years’ funding from the Sainsbury’s Trust, watch this space for more success stories at Friarton! |
