The White House Project

The PCP supported a community survey which was conducted online between 25th October and 16 December 2020 with the residents of the Grove and the wider Portland community and received 120 responses.

The survey was undertaken to ascertain the attitude towards the regeneration of the Prison Officers Members Club building in conjunction with a partner, the ex-offender charity Expia Ltd.

Expia Ltd is a charitable company limited by guarantee which aims to reduce re-offending and would be available to apply for funding for the building in which we would be able to market products and services produced by Prison workshops. Expia also operate and manage the Jailhouse café and Prison Farm shop.

The Portland Prison and Young Offender Institution and Expia are currently developing a project (working title 'The White House') to see if the Prison Officers Members Club building can be regenerated for community and Prison staff use with the introduction of a café (daytime), licensed social club (evenings), activity hall, meeting room and a venue that would likely attract visitors.

The Grove community has become isolated from the rest of the Island and adjoining communities. In 2015, the Tophill East Ward (Grove Road area) was in the top 40% most deprived areas in England, now it is in the top 20% most deprived areas nationally and is continuing to get worse.

There is evidence that a community venue would work for the Grove community and wider Portland residents and that a family multigenerational facility would likely be the best option at this stage.

Further details will be announced in the coming months as this project develops.