New PET patron, author Susan Hill, to present BBC Radio 4 Appeal

We are delighted to announce award-winning author Susan Hill has agreed to become a patron of PET, and will present our forthcoming BBC Radio 4 Appeal on Sunday 14th September.

Susan’s writing career has encompassed acclaimed literary novels, ghost stories, children’s books, detective novels and memoirs – she is perhaps best known for her classic The Woman in Black, now also a West End play and successful film.

In July we met Susan at the British Library and introduced her to two of our alumni, Frank and Catherine. Frank and Catherine shared their stories with Susan, telling her of the impact PET and education had in changing their path in life. Susan will talk about Frank’s experiences in the BBC Radio 4 Appeal, and you can read more of his story below.

The Appeal is a great opportunity to tell more people about PET’s work, raise awareness of the need

for prisoner education and, most importantly, raise funds to provide these vital opportunities to men and women like Frank and Catherine. The appeal will be aired on Sunday 14th September at 7.55am and 9.25pm, and again on Thursday 18th September at 3.25pm. You’ll also be able listen again all week at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 Only with your help can we spread the word – please tell people you know and encourage them to listen in so we can maximise the impact of this fantastic opportunity! Thank you.

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Frank’s story – proving it’s never too late to change

“My name is Frank Harris. I am 53 years old and have spent most of those years in and out of prison. PET, more than any other organisation, is responsible for the transformation in my life, and consequently my children’s and grandchildren’s lives.

My learning did not just start, but took a huge step forward, when I was told my application for support from PET had been accepted. If these guys were going to fund my learning that means they must have a bit of faith in me. For the first time I developed what I can only describe as a sense of obligation to an organisation. Having had obligations in the past and failed to meet them, this obligation felt good, not one that I ‘had’ to keep but one I wanted to keep.

After coming out of prison, I won awards for my learning, a result of the education and the support I received whilst in prison. I continue to sing that same song as I go into my final year at university - it was the support I received, internally from staff, and externally from PET, that finds me in a good place today, whole and free. I feel that I am fortunate to be able to say that I am still in contact with and supported by PET, who continue to look for ways to push the agenda for better access to education for prisoners.

The fact that I have stopped committing crime is to a very large extent because of PET. I will always be grateful for that, and for setting me on this wonderful, life-changing, all-consuming journey of education.”

My birthday gift to PET

Please complete and return to: Prisoners’ Education Trust, Wandle House, Riverside Drive, Mitcham, CR4 4BU

About me:Title: First Name: Surname:Home address:Post Code:Email address: Telephone:

I would like to become a Friend of PETTo the Bank Manager of:Bank or Building Society Address:Post code:Sort Code: Account No: Account name:

Please pay Prisoners’ Education Trust, Acc No: 20752835, Sort Code: 20-94-48 Barclays Bank, 2 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ND

The sum of £10 £15 £25 other £ Monthly Quarterly Annually First payment to be made on / / for years/until further notice (delete as applicable)

Signature Date: / /

I would like to make a single gift of: £20 £60 £150 £425 other £ Please make cheques payable to Prisoners’ Education Trust. Donations using credit/debit cards made at www.justgiving.com/petrust

Gift Aid DeclarationPET can claim back 25p from HMRC for every £1 you donate. Please read the statement below and tick the Gift Aid declaration below if PET can claim back this tax on your gift. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for the relevant tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I have given. This declaration applies to my donation(s): today in the past four years in the future.

Charity No: 1084718 · Company limited by guarantee no: 4132595

Cover: Susan Hill with PET alum

nus Frank

New PET patron, author Susan Hill

Frank, left, shares his experiences at the Prisoner Learning Alliance Conference this year

Frank is helping PET to shape its Alumni Programme, bringing together ex-prisoner learners in the community. If you have been helped by PET and want to find out more email Starie, starie@prisonerseducation.org.uk

Our 25th celebrations continue... dates for your diary!

Also, if you are a Lloyds Bank customer and live in London you can help PET win up to £3000! We have been shortlisted for the Lloyds Bank Community Fund Award, decided by public vote. You can vote online, in a London Lloyds Bank branch, and by SMS between 2nd September and 10th October.

To find out more about any of the above, visit our website www.prisonerseducation.org.uk or email events@prisonerseducation.org.uk

PET working with NOMS to help prisons listen to their learners

PET has been selected to work with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) on a project to help prison staff develop a “rehabilitative culture” within their establishments.

For PET a rehabilitative culture is one which has learning and education at its heart. In 2013 we launched our learner voice toolkit, Involve, Improve, Inspire, dedicated to providing those

working in our prisons with tools for involving learners in education provision. These range from student councils and suggestion boxes, to focus groups

and skills training.

During the project with NOMS, we will work with prison staff in eight prisons, building on

the good practice outlined in the toolkit. We will provide staff training, address concerns staff may have about student participation, and help

them to look at ways they can develop a learning focused, rehabilitative culture within their prison.

If you would like to know more about this project, or the Involve, Improve, Inspire toolkit, email

Starie, starie@prisonerseducation.org.uk

Giving learners a voice

In September PET will launch Brain Cells 3: Listening to prisoner learners. This report is based on the responses of prisoners to a survey in prison newspaper Inside Time. If you would like to receive a copy of the report, or find out more, email Clare clare@prisonerseducation.org.uk

A Prisoner Learner Voice Toolkit

Involve, Improve, Inspire

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Wandle House · Riverside Drive Mitcham · Surrey · CR4 4BUTel 020 8648 7760 · Fax 020 8648 7762

lm@prisonerseducation.org.ukwww.prisonerseducation.org.uk

@PrisonersEd facebook.com/prisonersedIf you would like to make a donation in support of

the work of Prisoners Education Trust, please visit

justgiving.com/petrustRegistered charity No. 1084718Company limited by guarantee No. 4132595

July 2013 Nina Champion, Prisoners Education Trust and

Jose Aguiar, Learner Voice Consultant

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Lavanya and Ingrid interview Martin

Newsletter

His Honour John Samuels QC addresses the graduation audience

A graduation ceremony and national recognition for PET student Carl

In July we joined a group of Open University (OU) professors for a prison learner’s degree ceremony. Carl was awarded a BSc degree in Mathematics in front of his parents and two sisters, together for the first time in nine years.

Carl began his OU course with support from PET in 2007 and had overcome many difficulties, but he was determined to continue his learning. Even though he is now a graduate, Carl has started a new course and is an advocate for distance learning.

As Carl accepted his certificate he spoke eloquently about his experience of studying and its benefits. Carl said: “I want to thank PET for getting me started and supporting my studies in the early days when I couldn’t get help elsewhere. The OU have also been hugely supportive, I had so many encouraging tutors

and it was great to get feedback on my assignments. And I also appreciate the help I’ve had from some of the education departments and prison staff. Most of all I want to thank my family for always being there and supporting me in so many ways. I’m still continuing my education now, I just want to keep learning something new, I can’t study enough.”

PET’s President, His Honour John Samuels QC, presented Carl with a surprise Adult Learners’ Week Certificate of Achievement. Addressing Carl, he said: “This is the third time I have presented an award of this kind, and each occasion remains indelibly in my memory. It is a huge privilege to present such a certificate to someone who, against all the odds, has achieved so much educationally, despite the obstacles of learning in prison. You have so clearly demonstrated why we in PET do what we do: education has the power to transform lives.”

Autumn 2014

Third editionListening to Prisoner Learners

Brain Cells

September 2014 Clare Taylor, Prisoners’ Education Trust

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September

8th – 14th Remember A Charity Week

This is an excellent opportunity to find out more about

remembering PET in your Will. Visit www.bit.ly/PETLegacy

Friday 12th Women in Prison – The human cost

St Mary’s Church, Wimbledon, 7.30pm

Vicky Pryce, economist and former prisoner, will talk about her

experiences and how the criminal justice system could better

address the needs of women.

Sunday 14th Radio 4 Appeal

7.55am, 9.25pm

Encourage those you know to listen to patron Susan Hill

speak about PET’s work.

October Sunday 26th Great South Run

Portsmouth

We have places for this 10 mile run in Portsmouth.

Want to take on the challenge? Email Hannah,

hannah@prisonerseducation.org.uk

December

Tuesday 2nd Annual Carol Concert

St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, 6.30pm

A popular event, tickets will be available in October.

Students, Ingrid Bekono-Nessah and Lavanya Subramaniam, joined PET for work experience in June. They interviewed Martin Farrell, featured in our Spring Newsletter, about his swim from the infamous Alcatraz island to the San Francisco shore. Ingrid shares his story here.

Martin’s motivation for taking part in this extreme challenge was rooted in his incredible love for swimming. With his passion for open water swimming, and having decided the Alcatraz swim was the next challenge for him, it was suggested he use the event as an opportunity to raise funds for PET, a suggestion he leapt on with great enthusiasm.

Preparations were not without their difficulties; in the month leading up the swim Martin broke his ankle and doctors were anxious about allowing him to resume his training. He was advised not to train in water, and as a result trained in other ways for example pumping weights at the gym to build upper body strength. Martin’s positive approach made the difference; he

maintained a focused attitude and persevered. He describes the best part of the experience as the point at which he entered the water thinking of a quote from his brother, “The agony lasts only a minute but the glory lasts forever”. The next best thing was being treated to coffee and pancakes by friends and family afterwards. To date he has raised the brilliant sum of £1,370.

The swimming doesn’t stop there. Martin is now considering swimming from Robben Island in South Africa; 7.5km in waters filled with sharks! Will Martin be participating in more fundraising for PET or have we come to the end of an exciting chapter? Only time will tell where the waters will steer this inspirational, enthusiastic swimmer.

PET’s new website has been launched: check it out now! www.prisonerseducation.org.uk

WWW.PET’s new website has been launched: check it out now! www.prisonerseducation.org.uk

“The agony lasts only a minute but the glory lasts forever”