Recovery through social contagion: the HMP Holme House Twinning Pilot Project

HMP Holme House, England’s first designated Recovery Prison, has partnered with Recovery Connections to pilot an intensive, peer-led Twinning Project designed to support people in prison as they prepare for release, and strengthen their long-term recovery.

Between January and March 2026, two peer workers from Recovery Connections – Peter DeSliva and Colin Hughes, both former prisoners at HMP Holme House – worked intensively with four serving prisoners. Collectively the participants have spent close to 100 years in custody. The pilot aimed to build recovery capital, strengthen through-the-gate support, and test whether visible, lived-experience role models can accelerate recovery through social connection and influence.

While formal evaluation is still underway, early reflections from participants, staff, and partners indicate meaningful individual change and wider cultural impact within the prison.

Background

Since becoming a Recovery Prison, HMP Holme House has led nationally on embedding recovery-oriented practice within custody, supported by prison staff and Recovery Connections. This pilot builds on that foundation by embedding intensive relational peer work within a structured programme, rather than relying on ad hoc support alone.

The central premise of the Twinning Project pilot is to leverage recovery contagion through the Helper Principle. When people see credible peers who have been in their position and are now living stable, purposeful lives, belief in change becomes realistic and shared.

What the pilot involved

The pilot consisted of two structured sessions per week over approximately three months, delivered through a combination of one-to-one support and small group work. Sessions focused on both personal recovery and practical resettlement, including:

• Developing coping strategies an emotional regulation

• Rebuilding family and social relationships

• Exploring identity, purpose, and what recovery looks like after custody

• Preparing for release around accommodation, income, and support

• Building links to aid in the community, including recovery networks

Early indications of impact

All four participants:

• Showed sustained motivation and commitment, with consistent attendance and engagement

• Took an active role in mutual aid within the prison

• Developed strong, trusting relationships with peer mentors and each other

• Engaged constructively with probation and housing teams to establish recovery focused release plans

• Participated fully in recovery capital assessment, described locally as measuring distance travelled

During the project review session, participants shared personal reflections describing increased confidence, hope, and belief that change is achievable – many for the first time in years.

Recovery contagion and the Helper Principle

A defining feature of the pilot has been the Helper Principle in action. Participants were not passive recipients o

f a programme but began to see themselves as emerging recovery leaders.

One participant described using their cell as a safe space to support others on the wing to avoid substance misuse challenges. Others spoke about being sought out by fellow prisoners for advice or encouragement. This suggests that recovery principles were already spreading laterally, with participants were becoming carriers of recovery themselves.

This social contagion extended beyond prisoners. Prison officers reported increased confidence in the Recovery Connections approach and shared learning with colleagues. Probation and housing partners observed tangible change and strengthened their commitment to collaborative working. Senior prison leaders supported the continuation and scaling of the model.

Next steps

This is an early-stage pilot, and systematic outcome data will be collected in the coming weeks. Formal measurement will assess changes in recovery capital and early post‑release outcomes.

However, what may prove equally significant is the sustainability and ripple effect of the intervention: whether recovery norms continue to spread through peer networks, and whether second- and third‑generation recovery champions emerge over time. The parallel spread of belief and practice among prison staff and partner agencies will also form part of the evaluation.

Drawing on Robert Putnam’s concept of social capital, the Twinning Pilot appears to be generating bonding (between participants), bridging (across peer and professional groups), and linking capital (between people in custody and systems of support). Together, these connections offer early signs of a model capable of creating lasting recovery, change, and hope within custodial settings.