Bullingdon Prison staff fundraise in memory of prison officer

In honour of Wendy Micklethwaite, who passed away in May after an 18-year stint at the prison near Bicester, staff and inmates took on physical challenges to fundraise for the Hummingbird Centre.

Situated in Bicester, the cancer support facility supported Ms Micklethwaite while she was receiving treatment for the disease and continues to support those in need across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire.

Wendy Micklethwaite (Image: The Hummingbird Centre)

Prison officer Zena Rose said: "Wendy was a one off, a rare breed. No matter who you were or what was going on, Wendy was always there to help.

"She had a knack of noticing someone in need, even if they didn't show it. Wendy made some amazing friends and worked extremely hard at a job she excelled in.

"Wendy brightened any room she entered with her cheeky but infectious personality.

"She made a lot of people feel at ease, both staff or prisoners, and was well liked and loved by many."

Last month, a group of officers, motivated by their relationships with Ms Micklethwaite and personal experiences with cancer, held a fundraiser.

The team featured nine prison officers (Image: The Hummingbird Centre)

For 10 hours, they completed a 10-station circuit training course in the prison gym - 40 minutes on followed by a 20 minutes rest.

Ms Rose said: "After chatting to some of the prisoners it was apparent that most of them had been effected by cancer, either personally or through a loved one, and when they heard about the work at the Hummingbird Centre, the prisoners quickly decided that they wanted to do something."

It came after nine prison officers took up a one-day, 100-mile cycling tour earlier in July, taking in prisons in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

The cycling team at Aylesbury Prison (Image: The Hummingbird Centre)

Although confronted by road closures and a 13-mile detour that extended their trip by two hours, the team began their journey from HMP Bullingdon at 7.45am and completed the loop 11 hours later.

Prison officer Phoebe Williams, who took part in the ride, said: "One of the best parts of the day was passing the halfway mark because we knew all the biggest hills were completed.

"It was an amazing experience, really tough, but after crossing that finish line, we felt a great sense of achievement."

Separately, the staff and prisoners in the farms and gardens department at the prison made bird boxes, insect houses and planters and donated them to the Hummingbird Centre to be used in its garden courtyard area.

To donate to the cycling fundraiser, visit the events Just Giving page.