Index:

Introduction to the Befriending Service
Befriending - Client Survey
Facts and Figures


Befriending Service

Many prisoners never get visits or letters. Some of the prisoners who contact New Bridge befriending service have lost contact with family and friends since coming to prison, or have been moved to a prison far away from their home town. For lawyers, we can prepare research on prisoners, for this contact mba essay writing service. Prison can be a lonely experience and it can be important to keep in contact with the outside world. At a difficult time in life the kind of contact which can be helpful is someone to chat to and talk things over with, someone to trust and who stays in touch, talks straight and doesn't judge.

Befriending has been central to the work of New Bridge since we were formed in 1956. Volunteers or VAs (Voluntary Associates) befriend people in prison by writing and receiving letters and visiting. Volunteers belong to a local group which is organised by their Regional Office, and which meets once a month for support. Our 4 Regional Offices are:

"It's important to know you're not forgotten, that someone cares, that you're not lost."
- Ross


  • London (covering the South East)
  • Southampton (covering the South West)
  • Durham (covering the North East and East Midlands)
  • Shrewsbury (covering the North West and West Midlands)

New Bridge volunteers come from all walks of life and from various ethnic and religious groups. The men and women who undertake this work have a common desire to help people by offering patience, warmth, empathy, dependability and understanding. They are good listeners and are reasonably mature in their own outlook on life and are people who themselves have an ability to cope.

The success of the befriending service hinges on the quality of our volunteers. These are some of the comments made by our clients about their befriending volunteers:


  • "I am very happy with John", wrote Mike in HMP Maidstone, "he really keeps my head up with his letters. They are the only contact I have with the outside; I have no one else outside."
  • Linda in HMP Holloway: "I am very pleased to say that Mary and myself are getting along very well together. She really is giving me a lot of support and encouragement via letters; and she really helps me a lot. She is a really good friend to me and I'm so glad that she is my befriender."
  • Ross in HMP Littlehey: "Tony writes and visits every month. We write about everyday things such as sport and what's in the news. It's like writing to a close friend. It's important to know you're not forgotten, that someone cares, that you're not lost. It's easy for prison to become your world."

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Befriending Service Meets Prisoners' Expectations - Client Survey 2000

We regularly test the effectiveness of our Befriending Service, from the initial contact to the befriending relationship. In 2000 we conducted a survey of our clients' opinions and the overall findings were encouraging:

85% of respondents feel their expectations of befriending volunteers had been met

73% felt that their relationship with their volunteer was good

Most clients had found out about New Bridge from 3 main sources - Inside Time Newspaper, Prison or Probation staff or by recommendation from another prisoner.

75% of respondents had found the time taken to allocate them a volunteer to be either quick or reasonable.

46% of respondents had been in touch with their volunteer for 2 years or more.

Over 60% of respondents felt the level exchange of letters was just right and most of the others would have liked to receive letters more regularly.

Respondents were asked what is the most valuable thing about having a volunteer. The most common answers were "someone outside taking an interest in me", "receiving letters" , "receiving visits" and "having a friend".

Facts and Figures

In 2000, 214 Voluntary Associates made 724 visits and wrote 7,7154 letters to 720 prisoners in 113 prisons and special hospitals.


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