‘Tough time’ for prisons

'All prison staff, including prison chaplains, are having a tough time during this pandemic.'

The challenges facing prison staff and chaplains throughout the pandemic was explored in an online Quaker workshop this autumn.

‘All prison staff, including prison chaplains, are having a tough time during this pandemic. Each prison has responded in different ways: some chaplains have continued working throughout, some have hardly been able to go in, and some are finding different ways to keep in touch with the chaplaincies, prisoners and staff for whom they care,’ Judith Catty, from the Quaker Prison Chaplains Committee, told the Friend.

The conclusions were drawn from a talk by Phil Chadder, HMPPS Chaplaincy Training and Development Officer, who spoke at the event on the theme: ‘A view from HQ: Chaplaincy during Covid.’ Judith Catty said: ‘He gave a national picture about how prisons have been coping during the lockdown and the role chaplains have played, going in throughout, when many other non-uniform staff have not. Phil was very encouraging and appreciative of the role that prison chaplains play in their varied and challenging work and left workshop participants feeling better.’

Thirty-five Quaker prison chaplains came together for the online event on 17 October. This replaced the annual autumn Quaker Prison Chaplains conference at Woodbrooke.

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