PRESS RELEASE

Prisoners Abroad receives free connectivity from Vodafone to help tackle digital exclusion.

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Prisoners Abroad will be using free connectivity, via Vodafone’s charities.connected initiative, to tackle digital exclusion. Prisoners Abroad will use the connectivity to help former overseas British prisoners access vital services on return to the UK. Access to data will enable those we support to contact our resettlement team, book GP appointments, apply for welfare benefits and pensions, and search for long-term housing, all of which helps these individuals start a new life in the UK after imprisonment abroad.

The contents of an arrival pack, which includes a Vodafone SIM card.

Vodafone’s charities.connected initiative is open to any registered charity that would benefit from free connectivity, either to improve its digital capability, extend its services or help the individuals and families it supports get online. 

Rob, Deputy Resettlement Manager at Prisoners Abroad, said: "Our service users tend to face multiple challenges and exclusions following their deportation back to the UK following a prison sentence. Often people lack tech skills and have little or no money to pay for phone credit. Communication is an absolutely essential aspect of supporting someone, without which we would find it impossible to provide effective resettlement assistance. The pre-credited SIM cards from Vodafone allow us to get someone connected and in contact with us so we can assist and guide them as they go, reducing the sense of isolation people often experience."

Catherine Russell, Head of Sustainable Business at Vodafone UK, said: “We are committed to tackling digital exclusion.  We hope that by providing free connectivity to Prisoners Abroad and the other amazing charities across the UK who have such an enormous impact on their local communities, we can help close the digital divide. We urge any organisation who thinks they can benefit to apply online and we look forward to hearing how this connectivity has helped.”

Vodafone’s charities.connected initiative is part of everyone.connected – its commitment to help four million people cross the digital divide by the end of 2025.

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For press:

Vodafone’s charities connected initiative was launched in August 2021.  For more information, see here.

For more information, please contact:

Emily Richards, Head of Giving and Communications

[email protected]

T: +44 (0) 20 75616835

Vodafone UK Media Relations Team

[email protected]

T: 01635 693693