New Bridge

New bridge is an organisation which maintains links with prisoners, principally befriending them when they are in prison. Many prisoners, especially those with long sentences, lose contact their family and friends and the New Bridge volunteer is often the only contact they have with the outside world. Prisoners are frequently moved from prison to prison and can come to rely on the volunteer as the only stable relationship they have. The main contact is through letter writing and occasional visits, for which expenses are paid.

Volunteers are trained by New Bridge and have the support of a group of colleagues with whom they meet once a month at New Bridge headquarters in Victoria. New Bridge has 16 active volunteer support groups based around the country, six of them based in London. It also runs parenting courses for prisoners and offers help with resettlement in some prisons. 

Those interested can find more information on the New Bridge website www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk, or contact James Wilkinson, c/o the Parish Office 020 8772 0463 e-mail, he is one of several New Bridge volunteers at St Luke's.