Shrewsbury's Dana prison staff preparing for a farewell parade
Prison officers and other workers at Shropshire's Dana prison will gather for the final time this month, when they will mark its closure with a parade.
The event on March 22 will take place at the prison in Shrewsbury and include a ceremony lasting about 30 minutes.
More than 200 members of staff worked at the prison when its closure was announced earlier this year, and all of them have been invited to attend the event, which begins at midday.
Prison governor Gerry Hendry said: "We are inviting all the staff to come back from their respective prisons and all the staff who are retiring will be here."
Furniture
Following the ceremony, thoughts will turn to the final removal of furniture and equipment from the prison, which has been going on for a fortnight and is expected to last until March 28.
Equipment is being shipped out to various prisons across the country, including Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institution.
Once the prison is officially decommissioned by the end of this month, talks will resume between Shropshire Council and the Ministry of Justice about what to do with the building.
The possible options being explored including turning the site into a hotel.
Before it could reopen for any new purpose, prospective developers will have to deal with the potential excavation and removal of the remains of executed inmates who are still buried in the prison grounds.
Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire Council cabinet member for business growth and prosperity, told a meeting at the Shirehall last month that indications suggest there are 17 burials that may delay a change of use for the prison.
A meeting is due to take place early next month between council officials and the Ministry of Justice about the Dana's future, with the issue of what to do about the bodies set to be considered.
More than £500,000 was spent on exhuming bodies from Oxford Prison when that site was turned into a luxury hotel in 2005.
The project had initially been earmarked to cost about £250,000, but that ended up doubling after more remains than expected were found.
A total of 76 bodies were eventually recovered from the Oxford site.
