FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT NEW BRIDGE

How is New Bridge funded?
Our core work, the befriending service relies on donations from individuals and small grant making trusts and money raised through fundraising events.

Some of our services and projects in prisons are supported by the Ministry of Justice.

Other work is generously helped by large grant making foundations and the Big Lottery Fund.

How many volunteers work with New Bridge?
There are 158 befrienders, organised into 16 support groups around England.

New Bridge also has 250 befrienders and mentors connected to specific prison based projects.

Other groups write to prisoners and visit them; what is different about New Bridge?
New Bridge befrienders keep in contact with a prisoner throughout his or her sentence. Prisoners often move to different prisons but the New Bridge befriender stays in contact with them wherever they are, all over the country.

New Bridge expects volunteers to provide support for as long as the prisoner needs their help; this can be up to 10 years or longer.

Befrienders must be prepared both to write and to visit prisoners.  Other groups are set up to provide pen friends and do not visit.