About UNLOCKED
UNLOCKED began with a simple observation: people leaving prison lose structure, safety and community on the same day. Toby built it to close that gap with training, routine and a group that expects you to show up.
Toby, Founder
The foundation of Unlocked Foundation was shaped on the prison wings of the UK prison system, where I worked at HMP Cardiff. More than 8 years of experience working on prison wings showed me how complex the journey towards change truly is.
These lessons were further refined within the Dutch detention and reintegration system. Across different prison systems, I saw the same pattern: people need more than rules and structure. They need connection, trust and opportunities to experience success again.
Structure first
Release removes routine overnight. A fixed weekly session gives people something to show up for before anything else is in place.
Effort over history
Nobody is asked to explain their past to train. What counts in the room is turning up and doing the work alongside everyone else.
Community, not charity
Members train with the public, not apart from them. The Saturday run is open to the city on purpose.
Progress you can measure
A 12-week block, a race entry, a finish line. Concrete goals that carry into work, family and everyday stability.
In Toby's words
"I founded UNLOCKED after seeing firsthand the gap between leaving prison and rebuilding a life outside. Institutional support often ends where real-world pressure and stigma begin. I believed traditional reintegration was missing a crucial component: sport and exercise.
Training demands consistency, resilience and accountability. It gives you a reason to get up, a group that expects you to show up, and proof that you can push beyond your own limits.
UNLOCKED was born from a simple belief: when you help restore someone's self-confidence and teach them how to push through a workout, you help them practise the habits needed to succeed in life. That is how we rebuild pride in ourselves and our community, one workout at a time."
Built on direct experience
Unlocked Foundation was built from that belief: using sport as a tool to help people rebuild perspective, responsibility and their place within society.
He is not there to be the story. He is there because he understands the challenges that lie ahead: the empty calendar, the stigma, the moments when old habits pull harder than new ones. His role is to make sure every new member is met by someone who has seen that road, and to keep the weekly rhythm steady while the rest of life is being rebuilt.