Writing Letters to Prisoners for Transformative Change

Volunteer Chandni shares her reflections on discovering New Bridge and becoming a befriender.

I first came across The New Bridge Foundation at a careers and volunteering fair at the University of Sussex, where I pursued an MA in Gender and Development. I chatted with the volunteer at the stall, learning all about the good work New Bridge does. From prison visits to helping build boundaried befriending relationships, I discovered that New Bridge has supported prisoners since 1956.

The volunteer signposted me to a QR code for the organisation’s volunteer application form, placed alongside a stack of Inside Time, New Bridge’s subsidiary national newspaper written for and by prisoners and detainees. I quickly snapped a photo of the code before heading off to read an article about Andrew Malkinson, a man who was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit (Inside Time, 2023).

The Application Process

As someone interested in prison abolition, I was excited to sign up as a befriender. I read the role description thoroughly, noting down any questions I had and making sure to fill out the application form with as much detail as I could. Soon, I was invited to an interview with Pauline Austin, the wonderful Volunteer Director at New Bridge.

The interview was a way for me to find out more about the befriending role. Pauline also ensured I was made aware of the risks and safeguarding involved. She asked me questions about why I was interested in the role. At first, I was hesitant about telling her the truth. However, Pauline created a brave and kind space I felt I could be honest in. Additionally, I recalled the reaffirming note that accompanies the volunteering application form: “We recognise the contribution that all people can make to the organisation and welcome applications from a wide range of candidates including those with criminal records” (New Bridge, n.d.).

So, I told her about my family’s history of incarceration, revealing information about the several years I spent supporting my mother, stepfather, and grandfather in prison. Instead of being met with judgment, she made sure I felt prepared to potentially read about my befriendee’s experiences in prison, lest I feel too vulnerable or triggered. I was certain then that New Bridge truly understands wellbeing and safeguarding—their commitment to their volunteers and the prisoners they support is rooted in radical compassion, surpassing compliance requirements.

Training

This compassion was further reiterated through the two compulsory trainings I attended. The first was an introductory session, held online. Through this session, I was given a comprehensive overview of New Bridge’s volunteering policies and procedures, as well as a summary of the contemporary landscape of the United Kingdom’s criminal justice system. I also had the chance to meet and interact with other volunteers. The second training session took place in London, at New Bridge’s office in Brixton. During this session, the New Bridge team introduced me and other new volunteers to prison protocols and our rights and responsibilities, and shared a few case studies. Most notably, the group had the opportunity to engage with a former prisoner who had benefitted from New Bridge’s work. Prior to taking a crack at writing our first letters, we also had a short presentation from a former prison governor.

Support Group Meetings

Before I could begin writing to prisoners, I had to select a support group to attend every month. I chose to attend one in person, and I was soon introduced to the chairs of my support group. They added me to a WhatsApp thread, which we use to send updates and coordinate our monthly meetings. Once I attended my first support group session, I was ready to begin my journey as a New Bridge befriender!

Writing to Prisoners

I decided to write to someone who had the same interests as me. I shared my initial draft letter with Pauline, who suggested a few edits to make before I sent it out. After I did, I would check my mailbox every other day in eager anticipation of a response. It was incredibly exciting to receive my first letter back. I remember holding it as gently as I could, leafing through it carefully so as to not rip or crease the pages. Although it was quite short, as first letters usually are, I must have re-read that letter at least half a dozen times.

My first prisoner and I have now been writing to one another for just over a year. Their updates are fascinating, and I could not be more proud of the progress they have made in such a short time. I hope they enjoy my letters as much as I do theirs! As their befriender, I share a solid and boundaried bond with them that decreases loneliness and improves connection and self-confidence—both for myself and the prisoner I write to (New Bridge, n.d.). In 2023 alone, “83 percent of prisoners reported feeling better or much better connected to the outside world as a result of being befriended” (a three percent increase from the year prior) (New Bridge, 2024, p. 3).

Reflections and Looking Forward

During my postgraduate course, I enrolled in a module called Reflective and Creative Practice for Social Change (University of Sussex, n.d.). As part of this module, I was encouraged to pick up and analyse a practice that I believe has the potential to build transformative change in our world. As a result of my experiences of volunteering with New Bridge, I researched the practice of letter-writing. My final essay for the module closely investigated the nuances, intricacies, and challenges of writing letters, especially in the strenuous context of incarceration. I came to the conclusion that while my letters may not radically reform the status quo, they are for me a way to create “awe and reverence and mystery and magic” (Morrison, 1998, p. 192) in an otherwise dull and dreary place.

While I have since graduated from my postgraduate course, I have continued to volunteer with New Bridge. Writing letters to prisoners has not just allowed me to contribute to the Foundation’s wonderful mission, but it has impacted me positively too. As I continue to pursue my interests in abolition, I am enthusiastic about nurturing the befriending relationships I have built and sustained through New Bridge. I am hopeful about the potential of our work and its impact.

 

If Chandni has inspired you to volunteer, you can sign up here: https://www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk/pages/category/apply-now

If you would like to be kept up to date with the latest news and development at New Bridge you can sign up for our mailing list here: https://www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk/forms/mailing-list

You can help us continue supporting people in prison via our winter appeal, with a donation of as little as £10: https://www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk/winter-appeal