Pia Sinha is the Director of the Prison Reform Trust and a former prison governor. She was awarded the St Martin’s Award for Prison Governance for her role in turning around HMP Liverpool, which was widely described as Britain’s worst jail in 2018, following a highly critical report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Pia was born in north India and she and her family came to the UK when she was 14. After studying economics and psychology at university, she pursued a career as a psychologist, and her work took into prisons. Whilst she was training, she also ran a London pub with her first husband.
After many years working as a psychologist in male and female prisons she was encouraged to apply for the Senior Prison Manager Programme aimed at training governors of the future. In 2013 she became the governor of HMP Thorn Cross, and was the first Asian woman to a run a prison in England and Wales.
Earlier this year she joined the Prison Reform Trust as its Director.
DISC ONE: Kathy’s Song - Simon & Garfunkel
DISC TWO: Ek Ladki Ko Dekha - Kumar Sanu
DISC THREE: Back to Life - Soul II Soul
DISC FOUR: Melt - Leftfield
DISC FIVE: Andmoreagain - Love
DISC SIX: Black (featuring Norah Jones) - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
DISC SEVEN: The Power of Love - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
DISC EIGHT: Hometown Glory - Adele
BOOK CHOICE: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
LUXURY ITEM: Chilli sauce
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Kathy’s Song - Simon & Garfunkel
Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor