Dave's first blog

Welcome to my new blog. For those who don’t know me, which will probably be all of you, I am the Programmes Administrator for Prison Fellowship. Though this sounds like a flashy, technical computer term, it basically means that I oversee the administration of our Sycamore Tree programme, as well as coordinating Angel Tree.  I know about as much about computers as I do about drilling for oil.

Each week I will be posting a short, hopefully interesting, blog detailing what’s going on in the world of Prison Fellowship programmes. My aim is to educate and amuse and I hope I can give you something to think about while you wait eagerly for my next post.

I have been working for Prison Fellowship for two years now and I must say that I have been challenged in many ways during this time. My background is entirely unrelated to prison ministry and the journey God is taking me on is as exciting as it is challenging. I look forward to sharing some of this journey with you.

So! What’s happening now? Well…

We are currently running 17 Sycamore Tree courses around the country, 4 of which come to an end this week. Those 4 being HMPs Swansea, Coldingley, Wymott and Lewes. These final sessions are always exciting and will be an opportunity for the learners to demonstrate their desire to change in front of a room full of wing-mates, prison staff, community representatives and victims.

A young prisoner at HMP Feltham recently wrote:

‘The programme has made me think about my victims. It made me realise how much my crime affects them. It also showed me that I am not only hurting the victim but everyone around me.’

It is always amazing to see the change in attitudes during the course and these final sessions will be emotional and rewarding. Read through the pages of our website to learn more about Sycamore Tree.

I am collecting feedback from last Christmas’ Angel Tree. So far it looks as if we are on track to have sent more gifts than we did in 2009. I am also busy arranging a pilot for a new Angel Tree programme for Mother’s Day. More on this next week…

We produced a family feedback form in 2010 to send to the parent/carer of the child receiving a gift so we could find out how the children feel about Angel Tree. I have received over 100. Here is a sample of what they say:

‘From the bottom of my heart I would like to say thank you. To see a child's face light up like my son's did was wonderful for me on Christmas morning. Thank you Angel Tree.’     

If you are short of a prayer point or two, we are recruiting for two new Regional Coordinators and would value your prayer support as we search.

Well that just about wraps up my first ever blog. Was it good for you? I’m off now to celebrate with a Jaffa cake bar...