Story
Me and my friend Emma are cycling 54 miles from London to Brighton to raise vital funds for The Welcome Directory!
The Welcome Directory is a charity that I’m honoured to be a part of. This multi-faith organisation is dedicated to supporting the successful resettlement of prison leavers by empowering faith communities to offer lasting welcome. They believe in the power of human potential and that every person deserves to belong.
Stepping beyond the gates is incredibly challenging. With as many as 70% of the prison population suffering from mental health issues and only 10% receiving support, the challenges faced on release often greatly exacerbate these difficulties and the cycle of reoffending (42% of adults are reconvicted less than 1 year after release). Too many people leaving prison are left feeling isolated and alone.
A kind and supportive welcome from their local faith community can make all the difference in the world. The Welcome Directory helps make these connections happen.
Help me to raise funds to support their vital work!
Sam’s Story
Hearing prison leavers share their stories is a favourite part of my job. Their astounding strength, and resilience gives hope that lives can be transformed.
Sam had a difficult childhood growing up on an inner-city estate with his six siblings. His father was in and out of prison, having turned to crime to provide for the family. Sam in turn, started shoplifting at a young age. It was all he really knew. What started as shoplifting soon spiralled out of control escalating to stealing cars, dealing drugs and violence, until he landed in prison. The dark space he found himself in, left him feeling numb and beyond help.
In prison, he put his head down and began riding out his sentence, but he just couldn’t shake off the sense that he was meant to attend the chapel services. He soon relented and attended his first sermon sceptical but curious. Sam soon began to understand unconditional love, something so lacking from his childhood. Slowly he felt more and more released from the heavy burdens he’d been carrying for so long.
After prison, Sam continued his faith journey, and found that his former lifestyle no longer had the same hold over him. Despite knowing his past, the church community went out of their way to welcome and befriend him, showing him kindness and acceptance. They modelled behaviour he aspired to and stood with him, coaching him through decisions. This was pivotal to Sam turning his life around.
Sam now runs his own construction company, while also studying to become a qualified electrician. He mentors other young men leaving prison, similar to himself. Through sharing his story of redemption and determination, he gives hope that others too can turn their lives around.
Why the London to Brighton Bike Ride?
The London to Brighton 54-mile Bike Ride is Europe’s oldest charity cycle ride. The iconic route starts in South London’s Clapham Common, weaving through the country lanes of Surrey and West Sussex then up the dreaded mile-long climb to the top of the South Downs, before concluding in the seaside town of Brighton. The ride takes place on 16th June 2024.
Honestly, the training IS hard work and my legs constantly ache. But, if it helps to raise the funds and awareness needed for people leaving prison to have the best possible chance of turning their lives around at the time they so desperately need it, then the hours at the gym and the miles on the road are worth it.
Thank you for joining myself and Emma on this journey and helping me raise funds for The Welcome Directory so that they can support more prison leavers like Sam in their journey beyond the gates. Emily
The directory is in every prison and Approved Premises in England and Wales. You can find out more about the work of The Welcome Directory via their website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channel.