Support network: Peter Fishpool attends the Quaker prison chaplains conference at Woodbrooke

‘Exchanging experiences brought new perspectives and reassurance.’

Geoff, a former prisoner, described his ‘epiphany’. He felt like he had
just hatched out of a shell. His vulnerability meant he then shielded
himself, carefully calculating steps forward. He welcomed the prison chaplain being there for him.

At our national gathering last month, Geoff told twenty-five of us Quaker prison chaplains that ‘Your being there, for those locked up, is a gift’. He helped us focus on the tools we use, giving each of us a spirit level to illustrate how chaplains had helped him find a steadier balance.

Another speaker, Vanda, is the managing chaplain at a young offenders’ prison. She advocated the way of Francis of Assisi: use words only when all else fails. She explored creative techniques to provide prisoners with representations of the divine. Whatever an inmate’s previous experiences, the chaplain’s task is to help them connect with that of God. Prisoners will have met notions of innocence, guilt, good, evil, judgement, retribution and confession. Chaplains can help them negotiate these concepts.

The back stories of many people in prison are peppered with trauma, often unresolved. Various departments and projects try to be of assistance: probation, psychologists, mental health, addiction services, restorative justice, resettlement, education, anger management and bereavement support. Chaplaincy is one of these.

The prison system is chock full: about 80,000 prisoners in England and Wales. Since the pandemic, some prisons are still not able to run workshops or education classes. There have been ten government ministers for prisons since 2010.

There are all sorts of prisons. Each has a particular regime and culture. It takes a while for a new Quaker chaplain to work out what may be possible. Exchanging experiences at this gathering brought new perspectives and reassurance.

Some chaplains visit prison every week or two to run worship groups. Others deal with people working their way through the law courts, and have an ever-churning population – this makes it hard to sustain regular worship. Chaplains might be ministering to any of the inmates. Prisons are often stressful environments, especially if violence breaks out. Chaplains provide support to all staff.
Many chaplains work voluntarily, though a few are paid. There are just over fifty appointed through Area Meetings in England and Wales, and a couple more in the Scottish system. Support from Yearly Meeting staff is crucial. Some Friends attend worship in prison, to fill out the Quakerly presence. Please ask in your own Area Meeting if you would like to support Quaker prison ministry in this way.

In our closing worship George Fox’s famous ‘Be patterns’ quotation was shared, along with the next sentence in his journal: ‘Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby in them you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you.’

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