IT was a real life princess who took centre stage at Dartmoor Prison this week ? not a fairy tale one that some of the inmates might have recognised from a special storytelling project running in the jail. Princess Anne was at the prison in Princetown on Friday to to unveil a plaque marking the opening of a new video suite dedicated to Storybook Dads ? a project in which prisoners record a story for their children using digital technology to enhance the tales. Storybook Dads chief executive Sharon Berry said: ?The children love these stories because they can hear their parent?s voice whenever they want and the feedback from prisoners and their families is overwhelming. ?The dads feel that they are doing something for their children and this goes a long way towards strengthening family ties.? Terry Waite, the former envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who himself was held captive in Beirut after being kidnapped during peace negotiations in the late 1980s, was also at the prison ? as the patron of Storybook Dads. He was joined by other dignitaries including David Fisher, the chairman of Dartmoor Forest Parish Council, and Brenda Taylor, chairman of Devon County Council. Mr Waite told the Times: ?People on the outside think prison is a soft option but they do not know what they are talking about. The greatest think you can have taken away is freedom, which I have had some of experience of, and it?s one of the worst things you can do to a person.? ?This is an excellent project, because many children are victims when their fathers go to jail. Storybook Dads enables the child to continue that special relationship when their father goes to prison. Mr Waite said he saw one prisoner with tears in his eyes after learning of the effects of his recording. ?Sending home a recording, on this one to one basis, is a simple idea but a very effective one,? he added. The Princess was introduced by Sharon to Storybook Dads trustees Graham Osborn, Annette Samphier and Liz James, before being shown around the four room suite which has the latest hi-tech equipment to produce the CD recordings. Sharon has helped raise more than £500,000 for the project, which now has six full time staff, four volunteers and seven prisoners to do the work. More than 1,600 recordings have been produced this year. Such is the scheme?s popularity Dartmoor is helping the Army and RAF to send home CDs from places such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Demand for its services is very high leading up to Christmas. Fifty prisons across the country are now using Storybook Dads, and Dartmoor itself edits the recording of 40 of these. Domonick, one of the inmates, edits and mixes the soundtracks. Dom is undertaking a Open College Network course in audio production. He said: ?A lot of prisoners need help with their families ? this gives them the opportunity to keep that contact. We are also learning new technology, which will be a great advantage for employment prospects on the outside.? Princess Anne also visited the prison gymnasium, where PE senior manager Steve Worsley introduced her to a special project where prisoners help adults with learning disabilities from Fairwinds Special Development Centre in Paignton, who use the facilities to exercise. The partnership between the inmates and their Fairwinds visitors has been extremely successful and a special relationship has been built up between visitor and inmate. Acting deputy governor Gill Sharp said the prison was delighted that Princess Anne was able to visit. She said: ?The staff here certainly deserve it, because they work very, very hard. This day is about the staff and I?m immensely proud of them for all the work they do. ?We must do away with the myth that it?s just about locking people up. The work we do is to try and help change the prisoners? life for the better. It might not always work but if we can change just one, it is worth it.? l Sharon is looking for people to help Storybook Dads by becoming trustees, and joining the management board. Sharon can be contacted via email on [email protected]">[email protected] or by calling 01822 892287.