Prisoners Education Trust News Spring/Summer 2011

Prisoners Education Trust

Unlocking potential for crime-free lives Spring/Summer 2011

news

Artwork by a prisoner, Courtesy of Koestler Trust

I want to walk back out a better person than when I arrived

James, a prisoner serving five years

Prisoners Education Trust News

2010 – the Trust’s best‑ever year Although times were tough during 2010, the year finished on a high note for the Trust. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, we were able to assist the highest ever number of prisoners in a single year, making 2,480 grants. This was an increase of 10% on the previous year.

‘Jail bird’ prisoner art courtesy of Koestler Trust.

The Trust’s 21st Birthday Appeal, launched through this newsletter, raised an additional £16,000. This has been used to pay for vocational courses related to business, the sport and fitness industry and social care. These courses will help at least 70 prisoners acquire knowledge and skills to re-build their lives after release.

During 2010, we also helped 670 young prisoners aged under 27 to start much needed education. This age group often come to prison with a poor experience of school and access to good education is vital for their futures.

Simon recently wrote to us after his release. He plans to study towards a degree, and said: ‘I cannot thank the Trust enough for your support. Entering into further education has helped me enormously to bolster my sagging self-esteem through a very difficult period of my life. A degree will help me in work and will show other inmates that education can open doors rather than slam them shut.’

Learning and Rehabilitation The new government proposed some positive changes to the criminal justice system in a recent Green Paper, ‘Breaking the Cycle’. The Trust responded to the Consultation, and has welcomed the focus on rehabilitation. Prison should not only act as punishment but also give prisoners paths to self-reform and resources to help them change.

Distance learning helps prisoners on the journey towards rehabilitation.

FF It means they can progress to higher level courses not available in prison.

FF It means they can study a wider range of subjects than any prison can provide.

FF Most importantly, it enables prisoners to study subjects and skills related to their particular interests and aptitude – and to their plans for future employment.

Through distance learning, prisoners can pursue many different vocational areas; examples include ornithology, organic herb growing, running an e-business, swimming pool construction, environmental waste management, vehicle selling, and equine therapy. You’d be amazed what can be studied through distance learning!

With your support, we will make sure more prisoners can access these and many other courses.

‘Ox-eye daisies’ courtesy of Peter Honey

Paintings for PET

In the past year, our dedicated trustees have been raising funds to enable PET to add to our staffing capacity, as our small team have been overworked for some time.

One of the most interesting ways that trustees have raised funds is an initiative taken by Dr Peter Honey, our Vice-Chairman. As well as being an internationally recognised author and expert on learning, Peter is a gifted painter, and has set up a website to sell his paintings, an example of which can be seen above. The proceeds will benefit the Trust’s work. If you would like a beautiful and original piece of art, and would like to help us to assist more prisoners, visit his website. www.peterhoney.org

How art helps prisoners

Art and creative activities are vitally important for many prisoners. Painting, drawing, matchstick modelling and skills such as cross-stitch are activities which many prisoners find therapeutic. Some produce artwork for family members, paint murals or help other prisoners learn to draw. Others find art helps them cope with their sentences, or with mental health problems.

The Trust makes around 400 small grants each year to provide prisoners with materials for art or other creative activities. Our Spring Appeal this year is for funds to support these grants – just £50 can equip a prisoner with materials that last for up to a year, making a real difference to those for whom structured learning is not an option. If you would like to support our art materials grants, and other similar projects, please complete the donation slip in this newsletter or to make a credit/debit card donation, visit www.justgiving.com/petrust

Prisoners Education Trust News

Donation form Yes, I would like to help prisoners use art to help them cope and change – here’s my gift Name:______________________________________________________ Address:_ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Postcode:_______________________ Tel:._ _______________________________________________________ Email _ _____________________________________________________ Donation ___________________________________________________ (cheques payable to Prisoners Education Trust)

Or visit www.justgiving.com/petrust to make a credit/debit card donation.

If you are a standard rate taxpayer, you can increase the value of your donation by signing the declaration below:

G i ft a i d d e c l a ra t i o n I would like Prisoners Education Trust to reclaim tax on all my donations from April 2000 until I notify you otherwise. I am a UK taxpayer and I understand that I must pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax the charity reclaims on my donations in the tax year.

Signature:______________________________ Date: ________________ Prisoners Education Trust, Wandle House, Riverside Drive, Mitcham, CR4 4BU Tel: 020 8648 7760 Email: info@prisonerseducation.org.uk Website: www.prisonerseducation.org.uk Charity no:1084718 Company registration no: 4132595 PET will occasionally contact you with news and events. h Tick here if you would prefer us not to get in touch.

Other news and events During 2010, PET was successful in an application to join the Impetus Trust’s portfolio of organisations. The Impetus Trust helps small charities to become more effective and sustainable, by providing expert help and some funding. Over the year ahead, we will work with Impetus Trust advisers to plan how to develop our work with prisoner learners further.

This is a valuable opportunity and we’re delighted to be working with Impetus colleagues.

New trustees and patron During 2010, we were delighted to add Alexandra Marks and Vanni Treves to the Trust’s Board. We are also glad to welcome Sir Christopher Ball to our distinguished list of patrons. Sir Christopher was Warden of Keble College, Oxford, and is a leading thinker, reformer and expert on education policy.

BBC Radio 4 Appeal PET is the focus of the Radio 4 appeal on Easter Sunday, 24th April at 7.55am, repeated at 9.26pm.

Lord Ramsbotham is making the appeal. Encourage your friends and family to listen and respond to this opportunity to tell Radio 4 listeners about our work.

Events The next event organised by the Trust’s South West London Supporters Group takes place on Friday 23rd September, and will be a dramatised reading by Nigel Pascoe QC. The Trust’s Annual Lecture in 2011 will be given by Nick Hardwick, the Chief Inspector of Prisons. It takes place on Tuesday 18th October, at Clifford Chance Offices in Canary Wharf. Please keep the date free in your diary, and check our website for further details later this year.