70 years of connection
Click here to help support us in our 70th year
Lord Longford founded New Bridge in 1956, with the intention of helping those who society had written off. He connected isolated people in prison with non-judgemental, supportive volunteers who offered friendship and encouragement. Today we continue this legacy, with our volunteer community befriending over 600 people in prisons across England and Wales.
In 2026 we are celebrating the connection that our charity has provided over the last 7 decades - looking back at our history as well as towards our future.
Commemorative logo We recently asked our service users if they would like to submit a design for a logo which we could use in our communications over the course of the year to help mark our anniversary. We were delighted with all of the entries which all took on the task in different ways. Our winning logos are proudly displayed on the banner at the top of this page, but we will also use this page to share some of the other impressive designs which we received.
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Hear from our volunteers
Our volunteers regularly write blog posts sharing what it's like to volunteer with New Bridge
HMP Grendon social day
A small group of volunteers spent a morning at HMP Grendon on a social day, learning more about the therapeutic approach of the prison, and hearing from the men on A-Wing.
Volunteer conference
Volunteer Zoe shares her reflections on attending our annual volunteer conference, connecting with other volunteers, hearing from former service users and speakers across the criminal justice sector
Getting started with volunteering
Volunteer Chandni shares her experience of joining New Bridge and getting started on her befriending journey
Coming soon...
Logo designs
We'll share the images created by service users for our logo design competition, with the opportunity to purchase prints of these on greetings cards, mugs and tote bags
Exhibition
We are in the early stages of planning a summer exhibition, to showcase art created by service users expressing what New Bridge means to them
70 years of connection
We're working on a history of New Bridge through the decades, from our founding up to the present, including recollections from people who have been involved over the years as service users, volunteers, staff and Trustees
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