Veteran soldiers serving sentences at Maghaberry and Magilligan prisons have created hand-crafted clay army cap badges for a unique new art exhibition.

The project, titled 'The Badge is Everything', has been developed over the last two years by 30 ex-servicemen currently in custody in Northern Ireland. Funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, the 'Crafting Resilience' initiative was delivered by the Northern Ireland Prison Service in collaboration with Start360, the RDV Service, and the Prison Arts Foundation.

The exhibition displays 40 stylised 'soldiers' constructed as wooden A-frame structures, each supporting a distinct cap badge made from earthenware clay. Every badge has been hand-crafted, kiln-fired, and finished using old gold, bronze, or silver glazes, symbolising the individuality and honour of each man's military service. In addition, each structure displays three specific words selected by the ex-servicemen to reflect their personal military experiences. Maghaberry Prison Governor Tracy Megrath said: "The introduction of a veteran's hub at Maghaberry for prisoners from an armed forces background came about through one of our own Senior Prison Officers, who previously served in the British Army. That officer, who worked with the Safety and Support team, identified an ever-increasing number of individuals in custody that were ex armed forces – and a group which felt particularly vulnerable, would isolate and were reluctant to engage in anything meaningful.

"He created a hub that would bring this group together and linking in with SSAFA - the armed forces charity - now works collaboratively with them supporting their wellbeing while in custody.

"The Northern Ireland Prison Service works with many partners in its rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners, and among them in recent years has been SSAFA. Together we provide essential support to this community in prison."

Lucy Turner, Prison Art Foundation Artist in Resident at Maghaberry and Magilligan, said: "The exhibition provides a poignant glimpse into military life, its impact, its realities. As a single collective identity, it shifts the focus away from the individuals and toward a shared experience and reinforces the spirit of teamwork."

Tommie Linton MBE, Prevention, Intervention Practitioner with Start360, said: "We provide a non-judgmental support service to veterans no matter what the circumstances, and this project came about as a collaboration between Start360 and the Prison Arts Foundation. It was introduced to encourage veterans to think about not only their mental health but also to seek the wide range of support that is available to them, once they are released back into the community."