Prison Project (The 180 Project)

The 180 Project's Prison Project takes the charity's community programme, which blends CrossFit with education and life coaching, inside prison. Running as a pilot in partnership with HMP Lancaster, it is creating a CrossFit community behind the prison gates, introducing men to a new lifestyle so they get physically and mentally stronger, underpinned by unity and hope.

The project works with men for six months before release and supports them to move into The 180 Project's community programme in Lower Darwen, so they can keep up their CrossFit lifestyle, adjust to life on the outside, build resilience and belong to a positive community, reducing the risks of reoffending and relapse.

Its aims are to get people active and keep them active; improve mental and emotional health; reduce drug use, violence and self-harm in prison; create purpose and plans for the future; build new social connections; and reduce and stop reoffending on the outside.

In The Guardian (14 October 2026), Cath Bishop wrote that the 180 Project, highly praised by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, engages prisoners in CrossFit and connects them to a community when they come out, with housing, life-coaching and other support services linked around the gym.

Justice-involved individuals

Delivered inside HMP Lancaster for men in the six months before release, then continued through the community programme at the 180 gym in Lower Darwen. Contact The 180 Project to discuss any access needs.

Safeguarding policy in place.

View safeguarding policy

“Building my own self-awareness, becoming a better person to see the potential that's inside. (A former prisoner on The 180 Project, quoted in The Guardian, 14 October 2026)”

• Internal monitoring or learning