HMPPS Festival of Volleyball 2026

Event Report

Organiser: HMPPS National Volleyball TeamVenue: David Ross Sports Village, Nottingham University.

Date: 16 September 2026

Executive Summary

The HMPPS Festival of Volleyball 2026 was successfully delivered at the David Ross Sports Village, Nottingham University, bringing together volleyball teams from across the prison estate for a day of high-quality competition, teamwork and staff engagement. 

The festival featured Mixed, Men's and Ladies' competitions and represented the second annual national volleyball event organised by the HMPPS National Volleyball Team. Building on the success of the inaugural tournament in 2025, participation increased significantly, demonstrating the continued growth and popularity of volleyball across HMPPS.

The event ran to schedule, utilised four courts throughout the day and delivered an excellent standard of competition, sportsmanship and organisation.

Festival Growth

The HMPPS Festival of Volleyball has continued to grow since its launch in 2025.

Competition	2025 Teams	2026 Teams	Growth
Mixed	8	12	+50%
Men's	12	14	+17%
Ladies	3	3	No Change
Total Teams	23	29	+26%

The increase from 23 teams to 29 teams represents the largest Festival of Volleyball to date and highlights the growing interest in the sport across establishments.

Participation Statistics

Total Teams

• 12 Mixed Teams

• 14 Men's Teams

• 3 Ladies' Teams

Total Teams Entered: 29 

Establishments Represented

• Birmingham

• Brinsford

• Bristol

• Berwyn

• Chelmsford

• Feltham

• High Down

• Long Lartin

• Portland

• The Mount

• Woodhill

• Wormwood Scrubs

Total Establishments Represented: 12 

Competition	Matches
Mixed Competition	22
Men's Competition	25
Ladies Competition	3
Semi-Finals & Finals	7
Total Matches	57

Mixed Competition

The Mixed Competition consisted of four groups of three teams, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and placement matches. 

Mixed Competition Winners

Position	Team
🥇 1st	Woodhill
🥈 2nd	Wormwood Scrubs
🥉 3rd	The Mount A
4th	High Down
5th	The Mount B
6th	Birmingham B
7th	Berwyn A
8th	Portland B

Woodhill produced an exceptional performance throughout the competition, winning Group A before defeating Berwyn A in the quarter-final, High Down in the semi-final and Wormwood Scrubs in the final. 

Wormwood Scrubs also impressed throughout the day, winning Group D and reaching the final after overcoming The Mount B in the quarter-final and The Mount A in the semi-final. 

Men's Competition

The Men's Competition featured 14 teams competing in a single league format, with each team playing three group-stage matches. The top four teams progressed to the semi-finals. 

After the completion of the league phase, the top four teams were:

1. Woodhill

2. Portland

3. Bristol

4. High Down

These teams progressed to the knockout phase. 

Men's Semi Finals

• Woodhill defeated High Down 36-25. 

• Portland defeated Bristol 38-31. 

Men's Competition Winners

Position	Team
🥇 1st	Woodhill
🥈 2nd	Portland
🥉 3rd	Bristol
4th	High Down
5th	Brinsford B
6th	Chelmsford
7th	Feltham
8th	The Mount A
9th	Brinsford A
10th	The Mount B
11th	Long Lartin
12th	Berwyn
13th	Birmingham B
14th	Birmingham A

Woodhill completed a dominant men's campaign, finishing first in the league standings before defeating High Down in the semi-final and Portland 44-33 in the championship final. 

Ladies Competition

The Ladies Competition featured teams representing Birmingham, The Mount and Portland. The competition was played in a round-robin format. 

Ladies Round Robin Results

• Birmingham defeated The Mount 62-57. 

• Portland defeated The Mount 55-54. 

• Portland defeated Birmingham 58-47. 

Ladies Competition Winners

Position	Team
🥇 1st	Portland
🥈 2nd	Birmingham
🥉 3rd	The Mount

Portland finished the competition unbeaten and were crowned Ladies Champions. 

Highlights of the Festival

Double Champions

Woodhill achieved the outstanding accomplishment of winning both the Mixed and Men's Competitions, a remarkable achievement against strong opposition from across the estate. 

Strong Portland Performance

Portland enjoyed an excellent tournament, finishing:

• 🥈 Men's Competition Runners-Up

• 🥇 Ladies Competition Champions

Increased Participation

The Festival grew by 26% compared to 2025, increasing from 23 teams to 29 teams and becoming the largest HMPPS volleyball event delivered to date.

National Representation

Twelve establishments were represented, highlighting the growing reach and popularity of volleyball across HMPPS.

Tournament Delivery

The tournament was delivered successfully and completed within the planned schedule.

Key successes included:

• Effective use of four volleyball courts throughout the day.

• Delivery of 57 competitive fixtures.

• Excellent standards of sportsmanship and behaviour.

• Strong support from participating referees and volunteers.

• Smooth transition between Mixed, Men's and Ladies competitions.

• Efficient time management allowing all finals and presentations to take place as planned.

The event demonstrated the continued value of competitive sport in promoting staff wellbeing, engagement and positive inter-establishment relationships.

Looking Ahead

The success of the 2026 Festival provides a strong platform for future growth.

Key priorities moving forward include:

• Expanding participation across additional establishments.

• Increasing female participation and development opportunities.

• Supporting the continued development of the HMPPS National Volleyball Team.

• Building on the success of the festival as the flagship volleyball event within HMPPS.

Conclusion

The HMPPS Festival of Volleyball 2026 was a highly successful event that showcased the commitment, enthusiasm and competitive spirit of staff from across the service.

With increased participation, excellent standards of competition and strong organisational support, the Festival continues to grow as a flagship sporting event within HMPPS.

Congratulations to our 2026 Champions:

• 🏆 Woodhill – Mixed Champions 

• 🏆 Woodhill – Men's Champions 

• 🏆 Portland – Ladies Champions 

The HMPPS National Volleyball Team would like to thank all players, referees, volunteers, establishment representatives and supporters for contributing to another outstanding Festival of Volleyball.