JVN Blog

Wandsworth Community Chaplaincy Trust is an exciting new-faith based organisation working with people who find themselves in prison. We run a befriending scheme which supports them through the gate upon release.

WCCT is an independent charity set up jointly by Wandsworth Prison’s multi faith chaplaincy and the parish of St Mary Magdalene, Wandsworth Common, from where the project is based.

Our work is about showing unconditional tough love to support the prison community. We provide holistic support for people – practical, emotional, relational, developmental, social and spiritual.  There are no expectations that clients will have faith.  We work with people of all faiths and none, although we will respond to those who wish to explore and develop their faith experience, whatever faith that maybe.

Through our befriending scheme we engage with the stories of those who are in deep trouble – disaffected, demonised in the popular press; depressed and anxious because of troubled parental relationships; and often self-harming and addicts. In short, typical of anyone already in prison.

Faith communities have a crucial role to play in helping those who have been in prison to settle back into the local community. Our faith ethos provides a firm foundation for everything we do and ultimately a profound benefit for those we work with. We are called, as people of faith, to respond with compassion to those who find themselves in prison:

‘He who hath compassion upon others receives compassion from Heaven.”

The Talmud

We are currently recruiting new volunteers to be befrienders.  Perhaps you might be interested in joining this important and exciting work?  To fit our criteria you should be at least 25 years old. You should have a non-judgmental attitude be willing and able to walk alongside someone who wants to change. Good listening skills and empathy are a must.  Maybe there are some people in your Synagogue who have the necessary time and skills to become a befriender?  If so, consider inviting Charlie to your Synagogue to give a talk and lead a discussion about the project and life in prison.

If you are interested in being part of WCCT’s work as an individual or a Synagogue, please contact Charlie Ryder – email:  wcct@smmwandsworth.org.uk; telephone: 020 8767 0658.

If you want some other ideas of volunteering you could register on the JVN website and have a look at our network of charities. For more information give us a call on 0208-203-6427.