The Archbishop of Westminster Expand The Archbishop of Westminster is a supporter of the importance of rehabilitation of prisoners. He participates in Prisons’ Week which is an annual reflection and prayer for all those affected by crime, including prisoners, their families and former offenders.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Expand Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has been a Prisoners Abroad patron since 2013. Having grown up in Apartheid South Africa, where his father visited political prisoners held on Robben Island, his understanding of the importance of prisoners’ rights is the same as that of Prisoners Abroad.
The Free Churches Moderator Expand The Free Churches Moderator has long supported Prisoners Abroad and have attended many events in the past. Hugh Osgood is involved with Prisons week.
The Rt. Revd. James Langstaff, Bishop to Prisons Expand Reverend James Langstaff, Bishop to Prisons ensures prison chaplaincy continues in UK prisons. He was suggested by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and he has taken a close interest in our work and attended many events.
The Duke of Richmond Expand The Duke of Richmond has had a varied career which spans from serving as 2nd Lieutenant and Lord Lieutenant to serving on numerous church committees, some of which promote peace and justice, including the committee of the World Council of Churches.
Rt. Hon. Lord Hollick of Notting Hill Expand Lord Hollick has been a supporter of Prisoners Abroad for over twenty years and regularly attends and supports our events. He is one of the founding supporters of the New Labour Think Tank - the Institute for Public Policy Research, which has often commented on the UK prison system and welcomes reform ideas to reduce re-offending.
Rt. Hon. Lord Ramsbotham GCB CBE Expand Lord Ramsbotham was HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales 1995 to 2001. He is the co-chair the All Party Penal Affairs Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Learning & Skills in the Criminal Justice System. He is President of UNLOCK, The National Association of Ex-Offenders and an Ambassador for the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT).
Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Brooke CMG & Lady Brooke Expand Sir Henry and Lady Brooke are supporters of Prisoners Abroad and regularly attend our events. Sir Henry is a retired British High Court judge. He became Lord Justice of Appeal in 1996, and became Vice-President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in 2003. Lady Brooke advocates and supports a number of prison charities including New Bridge, which helps offenders reconnect with the outside world whilst in prison through a volunteer befriending scheme.
Rt. Hon. Sir John Wheeler Expand Sir John Wheeler is a long-term patron. He was previously appointed as Security Minister at the Northern Ireland Office and was the chairman of Reliance Custodial Services Limited and so has an extensive understanding of the prison system.
Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd Expand Sir Mark is a longstanding patron and generous supporter of Prisoners Abroad. He has had a long career in politics and he was a Minister of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for a number of years. Sir Mark has been extremely supportive in fundraising efforts.
Sir David Wootton Expand Sir David is a lawyer and politician and was the 684th Lord Mayor of London from 2011-12. During this time he hosted an event for us, and following that generously agreed to become a patron of Prisoners Abroad.
Dame Harriet Walter Expand Dame Harriet Walter is passionate about advocacy for female prisoners. She is also patron of Clean Break, a charity and theatre company dedicated to sharing the often hidden stories of imprisoned women and has starred in all-female cast productions of Julius Caesar, Henry VI and the Tempest which are set as though in a women’s prison. Dame Harriet was the voice of our Radio 4 appeal and has also spoken at events.
Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve QC MP Expand Dominic Grieve QC has been a PA patron since 2015. He is the former Attorney General for England and Wales and was previously the shadow Secretary of State for Justice. He is currently a co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Penal Affairs Group which recognises prisoners’ rights and well-being.
Hon. David Bernstein Expand David Bernstein is one of the earliest supporters of Prisoners Abroad. Having served on the board of trustees for over 25 years and as a former chairman he became a patron of Prisoners Abroad. He is now the chair of the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust.
Professor Andrew Coyle CMG Expand Andrew Coyle has had a long career in the prison service; with roles of Prison Governor at Greenock, Peterhead, Shotts and Brixton Prison from 1973-97. He was the founder of the International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS) at the University of Essex. He has been an advisor on prison and criminal justice matters to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and was an expert member of the Committee for the Prevention Against Torture.
Roger Graef OBE Expand Roger Graef is a writer, filmmaker, broadcaster and criminologist whose films have influenced policing and criminal justice policy; most prominently his 1982 series Panorama: Rape on Trial influenced how the police handle rape cases. He is a patron and trustee of several other prison charities.
Jon Snow Expand Jon Snow is a long-standing Channel 4 News journalist who has reported on many hard-hitting cases including those concerning prisoners’ rights and those detained overseas. He has supported us for over 20 years and has assisted us with our fundraising activities and digital campaigns over the years.
John Walters Expand John Walters has been a patron with Prisoners Abroad since 2011. He served as the Chief Probation Officer for Middlesex for 16 years. On retirement he became a trustee of Prisoners Abroad and shortly after became Chairman, since then he has continued to be a very active supporter of our work.