Author Paul Zanon delivers workshop at HMP Windmill Hill

The Ministry of Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism welcomed author and journalist Paul Zanon to HMP Windmill Hill, where he delivered a motivational and creative writing workshop as part of the Ministry’s ongoing Education, Skills and Work Reintegration Programme.

Paul has had 13 books published to date, with many reaching number one in their respective categories on Amazon. His route into writing was unconventional, having struggled with reading and writing and leaving school without GCSE qualifications before going on to establish a career as a writer, biographer and journalist.

During the session, which was also attended by HMP Windmill Hill teacher Arthur Ramagge, Paul shared his personal journey into writing, focusing on resilience, perseverance and the importance of continuing to learn and develop despite setbacks. He also spoke about his career and experiences interviewing and writing about individuals across sport and other fields.

Paul has been delivering sessions in prisons across the UK since 2018, using his own experiences to encourage engagement with reading and writing.

Participants also took part in a short creative writing exercise aimed at demonstrating that writing can be accessible to everyone. The session generated positive engagement and discussion, with feedback highlighting the value of writing as a means of expression, reflection and learning more about oneself.

Paul also donated a selection of his books to the prison library for inmates to access following his visit.

Minister for Employment, the Hon Christian Santos GMD MP, said:

“Paul’s personal journey demonstrates that education and personal development do not follow one set path. Opportunities such as these complement the education and skills work taking place at HMP Windmill Hill and encourage participants to explore reading and writing in a different way. I would like to thank Paul for giving his time to share his experiences and for his generous donation of books to the prison library. I would also like to thank the Gibraltar Prison Service for its continued support and collaboration.”

The workshop forms part of the Ministry’s Education, Skills and Work Reintegration Programme, which provides education, personal development and employment support to assist individuals in preparing for their eventual reintegration into the community.