BREAKFAST at BRONZEFIELD BY SOPHIE CAMPBELL
Publisher Sophie Cambell Books published 22nd June 2020
HMP Bronzefield, the UK’s largest women’s prison: notorious for bent screws and drugs:
But what’s the truth behind the headlines?
Forced into signing an NDA when she arrived there on remand, former public schoolgirl Sophie risked extra time on her sentence by documenting her experiences of life inside.
Backed up by recent research and statistics, Breakfast at Bronzefield offers a powerful glimpse into a world few see: riots; unethical medical prescribing; and prison barons – key figures behind prostitution and drug-smuggling.
In a world where anything goes and being rehabilitated simply means saying ‘sorry’ right up until you’re released, how will Sophie cope on the outside, where she is expected to play by different rules? Will she succeed in creating the life she wants? Or, like most prisoners, will she end up back where she started ?
MY REVIEW
I’m drawn to reading memoirs, but Breakfast at Bronzefield was one the most very heartbreaking, account that I have read.
I have read several other books about prisons, but never from a woman who has served time in a prison.
The whole 368 pages was a page turner for me, it explained quite a few things that I didn’t even though happened. And I know that other readers will feel the way.
I also think that Sophie Campbell was very brave to write her own memoir of her time in prison. It’s a well know fact that women in prison are rarely given the opportunity to write their own stories. I have to admit I was quite tearful at times all about what Sophie went through during her time in prison.
Sophie Campbell tells us what is like inside the UK’s largest female prison.
Non-Disclosure and Invisible women examine the NDA that all women are made to sign on arrival at HMP Bronzefield.
Sophie was half way through her social sciences degree she decided to write about her experiences as a remanded prisoner inside the UK’s largest female prison, HMP Bronzefield.
When she signed up to do an extra module on philosophy and Mental Health, not realising until later that one lecture would be about female prisoners. If she had known this beforehand, she would never have enrolled. Sophie left prison determined never to look back.
Sophie was sent to Bronzefield for GBH and one account of assault against police when the station at the police station later got out of hand. Sophie Campbell takes us through what really happened inside prison. I’m dreadful upset that prisoners are treated badly and can starve without given food. Sophie often mentions that she was hungry and worst still Sophie don’t think she had ever been so hungry as when she was in Bronzefield.
The prison cut corners feeding prisoners to save money. Breakfast was a cartoon of milk which was of more than it was on, and stale, child-sized portions of Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes, this is the most disgusting part the cereal, was served by Servery workers put into a blue plastic bowl using their hands.
I praise Sophie for not being afraid and speaking out about certain situations to prison staff while being inside in the Bronzefield prison.
What I find the most upsetting is that when Sophie left prison she was homeless and being left without any support what so ever, by the prison I find that very hard to digest, surely the prison services should find somewhere for her to live. I was saddened to learn that a lot of women leave prison homeless.
You must read Breakfast at Bronzefield as it’s a very rare read that offers what life is really like in prison for a woman.
I recommend reading Breakfast at Bronzefield, through the way Sophie explains what goes on behind prison doors really educates you and opens up your eyes. There is so much that happens and Sophie Campbell will tell you everything. The book has been extremely well written with unfolding, unexpected and memorising events you won’t forget.
I would like to say a very big thank you to Sophie Campbell for sending me her memoir in paperback.
The Author’s Note
This is the work of creative non-fiction. The events are portrayed to the best of the author’s memory. While all the stories in this book are true, some names, identifiying details and the order of events as they occurred have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved, including the author’s.
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