Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust is a charity which helps men in Wandsworth Prison. It is led by Quakers from Wandsworth meeting who have asked us to share information about their Christmas appeal.

Imagine walking out of prison with nowhere to go, very little money and no one waiting for you. Now imagine doing it at Christmas, when everyone else is enjoying a holiday.

For many men leaving Wandsworth Prison, this is what release day looks like.

What release day really means

Many men leave prison with only the clothes they wore on the way in, a small amount of soap and toothpaste, and hardly any cash. That may be everything they own. They have no warm coat, no suitable shoes, no phone, no travel card, no support network and no place to call home.

Yet from the moment the gates close behind them, they are expected to start rebuilding their lives. They must contact probation services, arrange benefits, speak to housing teams, attend appointments, and try to avoid the circumstances that led them into prison in the first place.

“I didn’t dare buy a coffee”

Daniel, now a trustee of Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust (WPWT), knows this first-hand. After nine months in Wandsworth, he was released with a one-way rail ticket home to Doncaster and vague directions for crossing a city he’d never visited. His clothes no longer fitted, he had no phone, and he had only a few pounds saved from his prison job.

“I had to rely on strangers to direct me from Wandsworth to Kings Cross Station. I didn’t dare buy a coffee or a sandwich in case my money ran out.”

Daniel was lucky: his family welcomed him home. Not everyone has that. As he puts it, small items like warm clothing or a mobile phone can make a huge difference in those crucial first few days.

How WPWT helps

WPWT helps men make the difficult move from prison to the community by providing:

• Warm, waterproof clothing suitable for the season
• Trainers and other basic clothing items
• A loaded Oyster card, so they can travel to appointments and services
• A simple, working mobile phone, so they can contact probation officers, social services, housing providers and benefits teams
• A waterproof sleeping bag for those facing homelessness or sleeping rough

These are not luxuries. They are the basic tools needed to survive, stay in contact with support services, and start building a stable future, rather than seeing a return to prison as the best option.

The stakes are high: more than one man dies every day in the year after leaving prison.

How you can help

Any donation, large or small, helps someone take those first difficult steps. Here’s what your gift could do:

• £10 could help provide basic toiletries and essential items
• £25 could help provide warm clothing
• £50 could help provide a mobile phone or travel support
• £100 could help equip a man with clothing, transport and a simple mobile phone

To donate or find out more about WPWT’s work, visit wpwt.org.uk.

You can also help by sharing this post. Pass it on to friends, family, colleagues or your community group. The more people who hear about the appeal, the more men can be helped.

A fresh start begins with the basics

A warm coat, a working phone and a way to get to the first appointment can be the difference between despair and a real chance of starting again. Please help WPWT provide them.

Wandsworth Prison Welfare Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1198674).