December 13-14^th 2022, Keble College, University of Oxford

In December 2022, we brought together Governing Governors and Directors from across the country for a two-day symposium in the historic surroundings of Oxford University’s Keble College.

Despite a nationwide rail strike and Arctic conditions, 41 Governors made it – sharing their collective wisdom on what they, and their organisations, can do to boost staff morale and well-being, and alleviate some of the wider pressures of governing.

We captured their insights on what Governors can do themselves, in two practical, peer-to-peer guides, so their ideas and recommendations could be shared across the estate: Governing Governors’ guide: on boosting staff morale and retention; Governing Governors’ guide: on managing the pressures of governing. And we shared their recommendations for HMPPS and others – on a Chatham House basis – with their respective Chief Executives.

But it wasn’t all work. Alongside the discussions, Governors enjoyed reconnecting with colleagues and meeting new faces over a memorable three-course dinner in Keble’s grand dining hall, and kept the evening going afterwards in the college bar.

The feedback was universally positive, and we include a small selection of it here:

“I absolutely loved it! It was great to see what others were thinking and doing and not feeling alone any more. The facilities were brilliant and the hospitality amazing.”

“It was so good to take time out, and have a safe space to voice our concerns and share our knowledge with each other. The venue was also superb.”

“It helped me ‘re-set’ my thinking after a really difficult few years and I’ve come back to the prison re-energised and with lots of great ideas.”

“Thank you for a fantastic two days… I really enjoyed every bit of it, and I learnt a lot.

As one Governor put it, quite simply, “It was a truly wonderful event”. We felt the same way too – it was a privilege to be part of, and we hope to do it all again before too long!