Six prisoners at Erlestoke Prison near Devizes have been given responsibility for the welfare of their fellow inmates.

The six received their certificates as fully qualified Health Trainers from Rachel Carse, the national programme director at the Department for Health, at the prison on Wednesday.

The group, who officially qualified in July, includes a fully deaf prisoner and two prisoners whose first language is not English.

Another prisoner in the group learned sign language so he could be the voice of the deaf student.

The sextet will now be able to provide information, motivation and practical support to their fellow inmates on a one-to-one basis, helping them give up smoking, get more fit, increase their self-esteem and work through their drug dependency problems.

Maggie Rae, director of public health for NHS Wiltshire, said: “The positive impact the service should have on individual prisoners in terms of health and wellbeing is extremely encouraging.

“Health trainers can both encourage other prisoners to improve their health while helping to reduce reoffending.”

Deputy governor Paul Wiltshire said that a steering group will oversee the health trainer programme at the prison.

He added: “Training is currently being planned for a second cohort of health trainers since many of the present group will move on from Erlestoke at the beginning of 2010.”

Rachel Carse said: “It is always a privilege to meet health trainers and the people I have met today have been an absolute inspiration.”