50 Prisoners are waiting for a befriender

Who are befrienders?

If you join New Bridge as a volunteer you really are joining a community of committed and passionate people where everyone takes pride in supporting each other.  All our volunteers share our belief that people are people and that no-one should be defined solely by the worst thing they have done.

Our befrienders come from all walks of life, various backgrounds and have lots of different experiences. Everyone who becomes a New Bridge Befriender shares a common desire to help people - offering patience, warmth, understanding and dependability and all are good listeners.  Our volunteers come from all walks of life, profession and language.

There are lots of people around with an interest in prisons and an interest in helping people in prison to make the changes they need to so that they can live better lives.

I felt intrigued and had the sense that perhaps I could offer something positive to a section of the population often reviled and literally out of sight.

Many volunteers comment on the opportunity New Bridge befriending gives them to get to know and appreciate people that they would never know in the normal course of their lives.  Many of the befriending relationships really are two way streets – there’s something to learn about and to like in most of us!

How we are training and supporting new volunteers through 2020-21

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