Life After Prison

In this episode Jules speaks to 20-year-old Kerry, who’s only been out of prison a month at the time of recording. They chat about how losing a friend in the Grenfell Tower fire at the age of 13 had a massive impact on Kerry, who later became expelled from school, and at the age of 17 received a 5 year prison sentence. For Kerry, being recalled back to prison after being released half way through her sentence was a big wake up call, and changed her outlook on moving forwards.  The full version of this episode can be found wherever you get your podcasts: (link)  Useful links and organisations:  ID Essence- ID Essence work with young adults aged 18-25 in women's prisons and after https://www.idessence.org/ Action for Children- We help those in trouble to turn their lives around https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/children-and-families/young-people/ Nacro- We see your future, whatever your past https://www.nacro.org.uk/  St Giles Trust- Turning a past into a future https://www.stgilestrust.org.uk/ Unlock- Building a fairer future for people with  criminal records https://unlock.org.uk/ Working Chance- Unlocking Women’s Potential https://workingchance.org/   Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok 📧 Email us: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/  

This week Jules sits down with Molly Ellis, someone she met while they were both in prison. In 2017, after experiencing a family tragedy, Molly’s life changed drastically, eventually ending with a five-year prison sentence for fraud. Just weeks before starting her sentence, she gave birth to her daughter and chose to raise her newborn behind bars. Since her release, Molly has dedicated herself to helping others rebuild their lives through her organisation Project Accountability. The two also reminisce on old times as former pad-mates and the incredible journeys they've been on since leaving prison. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube.Useful organisations: Support for Women in/Leaving Prison: Women in Prison (National) – Supports women affected by the criminal justice system with advocacy, housing, employment, and resettlement services. https://www.womeninprison.org.uk Birth Companions (London and the South East) – Provides support for pregnant women and mothers in prison, including help with resettlement and parenting. https://www.birthcompanions.org.uk Domestic Abuse & Trauma Support: Refuge (National) – Offers emergency accommodation and support for women escaping domestic abuse. https://www.refuge.org.uk Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) (National) – Helps women rebuild financially after economic abuse. https://survivingeconomicabuse.org Employment & Entrepreneurship Support: Project Accountability – Founded by Molly Ellis and Ty Mitchell, this organization focuses on reducing recidivism and supporting ex-offenders and vulnerable youth through vocational training, employment opportunities, and rehabilitation programs. https://www.projectaccountability.co.uk Peabody Group - Aiming to provide great homes and housing services, making a positive impact in communities and creating an inspiring, inclusive place to work.https://www.peabodygroup.org.uk/Peckham Soup Kitchen - A community non-profit organisation formed in 2022 set up to give back to those in need in the Southwark community. Providing food provisions each week to support those in need.​ They also mentor young people and facilitate programmes to support young people to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.https://www.peckhamsoupkitchen.org/Contact us:  If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.  💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok  📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio  ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF  🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

In this episode, Jules chats to Sharon. Sharon’s life on the Cornish coast is idyllic, but her life has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs to get to this point. From escaping an abusive relationship and serving a prison sentence for benefit fraud, to cycling around the world, battling serious health problems and publishing her own book.Useful organisations:  Kaleidoscopic UK - Supporting Children and Adults who have been exposed to domestic abuse https://www.kaleidoscopic.uk/ Women’s Aid - Building a future where domestic abuse is not tolerated https://www.womensaid.org.uk/  Refuge - For women and children against domestic abuse https://refuge.org.uk/  National Domestic Abuse Helpline - 0808 2000 247 PACT - Prison Advice and Care Trust- We build stronger families and safer communities https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/ POPS - Partners of Prisoners- Providing information and support for offenders' families from the point of arrest through to release and beyond. https://www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk/    Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok 📧 Email us: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

This week on the Life After Prison Podcast Zak and Jules respond to some of the comments they received on social media about a previous episode. That episode explores disclosing to potential future partners if you have spent time in prison, and how soon you would tell them. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube.The episode the comments came from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5uK6WvvnQOur episode on disclosing your conviction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5uK6WvvnQ Useful organisations: Spark2Life (London) – Offers mentoring and workshops to help young people and adults make positive life changes, often led by individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system. https://www.spark2life.co.uk/ Working Chance (London) – They help women secure sustainable employment by offering workshops, career coaching, and job placement services, aiming to challenge stigma and foster inclusion. http://www.workingchance.org Step Together (Bristol and Bath) – Works with offenders and ex-offenders, providing mentoring and volunteer placements to rebuild their confidence and skills. https://www.step-together.org.uk/ The Forward Trust (England) – Provides support for individuals struggling with addiction and mental health issues. They offer services that include counseling and rehabilitation for people in and out of prison, particularly beneficial for those on early release who may be navigating complex mental health needs. https://www.forwardtrust.org.uk Northern Ireland Alternatives (Belfast and Derry/Londonderry) – A restorative justice organisation that supports individuals reintegrating into the community. https://www.alternativesrj.co.uk/ Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

In this episode Jules talks to Sarah, who after years of struggling with her mental health and substance abuse, found that the warmth, support and community found in a women’s centre not far from her home, would help her transform her life.   Useful organisations:  Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/  POPS (Partners of Prisoners) https://www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk/ Women’s Service Map https://www.womensservicesmap.com/ Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/ Trauma Breakthrough https://www.traumabreakthrough.org/ Adoption Matters https://www.adoptionmatters.org/  Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok 📧 Email us: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/  

This week Zak and Jules welcome lifelong chef Nathaniel Mortley AKA Natty Can Cook to the Life After Prison couch. Natty shares his experiences of working in some of London’s most high-end restaurants and how the environment there contributed to him going to prison. He also speaks about how seeing people excel while he was inside inspired him to start planning his future for when he was released. Now that he’s out, he is on an incredible journey to take Caribbean cuisine to the heights of the culinary world.This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube.Useful organisations:  Social Pantry (London) – A catering company with a mission to employ and train ex-offenders in the culinary arts. They offer structured, supportive job placements for people with a criminal record, helping them build valuable skills and establish a work history in catering and hospitality. https://socialpantry.co.uk/Fat Macy's (London) – A social enterprise that provides training in cooking and event catering for people living in temporary housing or hostels, including those with past criminal records. They give participants culinary experience and help them save towards long-term housing. https://www.fatmacys.org/Sixteen Community Café (Bristol) – Part of the charity Second Step, this community café provides training and support for people with mental health issues or a criminal background. They offer a safe, supportive space for participants to gain experience in a working kitchen and hospitality. https://www.16cafe.co.uk/Social Bite (Edinburgh and Glasgow) – This social enterprise tackles homelessness by offering job opportunities and training in their cafes. They employ people with previous convictions or homelessness, helping them gain experience in food preparation and service in a welcoming environment. https://www.social-bite.co.uk/Freedom Bakery (Glasgow) – This artisanal bakery works with individuals in and leaving prison, offering training in baking and an opportunity to work in a structured, supportive environment. They focus on building employable skills and have strong connections within the hospitality industry for job placement. https://www.freedombakery.org/Contact us:  If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.  💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok  📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio  ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF  🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

Life After Prison will be back with you soon but while we are finalising series 8 in the studio, we thought that we'd share some episodes of another podcast here. It’s called Hold or Fold and is made by our colleagues at the Prison Radio Association.'Hold or Fold' explores gambling harm with an emphasis on the criminal justice system, your hosts Ben & Steve have both served time in prison as a direct result of their gambling.In this episode we’re looking at betting shops and the role they play in the wider gambling culture. Ben & Steve let us know if betting shops played a part within their own journeys and we hear from two people who were impacted by betting shops for very different reasons…David lost a large amount in a betting shop and fell into a cycle of robbing them, to claim ‘revenge’ - He ended up serving a 10 year prison sentence as a result of this. Meanwhile, Lady Unchained experienced this from the other side of the counter, working in a well-known betting shop for 5 years.USEFUL LINKS:David’s Channel 4 DocumentaryDavid’s YouTube channelLady UnchainedReframe Coaching GamcareGordon Moody GamfamGamlearnBet Know MoreBreakevenEpic Global SolutionsGambler’s AnonymousCall the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve GirlingYou can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/Thanks to GambleAware for the support

Life After Prison will be back with you soon but while we are finalising series 8 in the studio, we thought that we'd share some episodes of another podcast here. It’s called Hold or Fold and is made by our colleagues at the Prison Radio Association.'Hold or Fold' explores gambling harm with an emphasis on the criminal justice system, your hosts Ben & Steve have both served time in prison as a direct result of their gambling. In this first episode they are introducing themselves to you, a brand new audience. They candidly share what got them into gambling, how it escalated and why this led to a prison sentence. What was that first night in prison like? How did they cope? And how were they able to turn their adversity into a positive? Plus, Ben & Steve will be taking their first listener question in ‘Cards On the Table’ - We’d love to hear your questions too. To do this, use the links below. USEFUL LINKS: Reframe CoachingGamcareGambleAwareGambler’s AnonymousBreakevenGamfamGamlearn Call the National Gambling helpline, for free, on 0808 8020 133If you would like to get in touch with Hold or Fold and ask us a question, suggest a topic or start a conversation, you can E-mail us at...📧: Podcasts@prison.radio💬 DM us: @holdorfoldpod on Instagram & Twitter (X) ✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XFThis episode is hosted by...Ben Jones & Steve Girling...And is funded by 'Gambleaware'You can find out more about the work of the 'Prison Radio Association' and 'National Prison Radio' here:https://prison.radio/

In this episode Jules chats to Charlotte, who after years of self-harm, admissions to psychiatric hospitals, and a period of time in prison, is now in a really happy place. Charlotte has big ambitions for her future, and wants to be that support for others that she needed when she was younger, and she’s well on her way to achieving her goal.  Useful links and organisations: Working Chance: https://workingchance.org/ Girls Get Social: https://www.instagram.com/girls.get.social/  Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/  Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/