Shelley: one year on

Shelley was seven when she left the UK with her parents for a new life in America. Almost twenty years later, and after serving just under one year in prison, she was deported from the US and sent back to England. One year on, she tells us about the shock of returning to a strange land.

The first day I arrived back at Heathrow was really scary. I didn’t know anything. Everything was brand new and the future was just so uncertain. I had no idea what was going to happen to me.

The only thing I knew was that that Prisoners Abroad was there to help. I didn’t know anything further than that.

I went straight from the airport to see Prisoners Abroad. I think the woman who answered the door could see the anxiety and fear on my face because as soon as I came in she gave me the necessities I needed: toothbrush, alarm clock, change of clothes and a backpack to keep everything in. I had arrived with absolutely nothing, and it was emotionally tough to have to rely on donations. I only had one set of clothes. I just broke down in tears. My life felt horrible.

Thankfully, Prisoners Abroad was able to help me with clothes, and they also fixed me with somewhere to stay for a couple of weeks.

I’ve been back for over a year now. I’ve had a few ups and down since then but things are getting better all the time. Prisoners Abroad introduced me to another charity, St Mungo’s, who helped me find somewhere more permanent to stay. I’m now doing an apprenticeship with them, working at a hostel.

I was lucky because they wanted people who had experienced homelessness or addiction, and to put them back in the workplace. Some of the clients from my hostel are really amazed because they didn’t know that I was an ex-service user of St Mungo’s.

It’s a really great way for me to feel like I’m giving back to the community that’s helped me. I worked as a nurse’s assistant in the States, and some of the skills are kind of similar: you need to know how to work with people and care for people.

It was my addiction issues which got me into jail in the United States. Once I came back I knew that I needed to pick up the pieces of my life. Prison was very tough. I had a lot of time to really reflect on what I could have done differently and what I could change in the future.  I was using drugs, and it just becomes this horrible cycle. It’s hard to break it unless somebody really helps you. And Prisoners Abroad helped me.

If it wasn’t for Prisoners Abroad and all that they’ve done for me I would never have got as far as I did. Their support is vital for people like myself who have been deported to this country. I’m just really grateful to all the people at Prisoners Abroad.