Manchester: 'Out There' - new centre for prisoners' families opens

Sr Moira Bain and Bishop Terence Brain

‘Out There’, the prisoner’s family support charity based in Manchester, has officially opened its new centre. New facilities will mean that it can now offer even better support to vulnerable children and families in the Greater Manchester area.

At the official opening on Saturday 22 June, amidst a packed AGM gathering of supporters, Bishop Terence Brain, spoke warmly of how important the charity was in reaching out to vulnerable families who often come from disadvantaged backgrounds and find it hard to cope when a loved one goes into prison.

On the feast of St Thomas More and St John Fisher, both saints who were sentenced to spells in prison, Bishop Brain reminded the audience that imprisonment is an issue that can affect anyone, and that innocent families of prisoners often have to suffer a hidden sentence as well.

Sr Moira Bain, a Daughter of Charity, and director of ‘Out There’, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with the Diocese of Salford who have kindly allowed us to lease our wonderful new premises that come with an outside children’s play area. From our new building we can now expand our family support groups, train our volunteers and organise our home visits and case work services. We’ve worked with over 1000 families over the last six years, and so we know that by doing all we can to keep families together during imprisonment, that we are also serving wider society as maintaining strong family ties is still one of the best way to cut re-offending rates in the long term.”

‘Out There’ works with both HMP Manchester and Forest Bank prisons. At HMP Manchester prison the staff initially make contact with prisoner’s families in the prison’s visitor centre. From this starting point, they are then able to offer ongoing tailor-made support in family’s homes for as long as individual families need.

Rev Joanna Calladine, prison chaplain at HMP Manchester, described ‘Out There’ as a wonderful resource for the prison as well: “By far the biggest issue for prisoners is usually the stress they have caused their families. As chaplains, we are legally obliged to meet every new prisoner within 24 hours of their entry in prison, but there is a limit as to what we as chaplains can do. That’s why it’s so valuable to know that ‘Out There’ is able to pick up where our help ends. I know if I make a referral to ‘Out There’ that they will always follow through with support. That is enormously reassuring for prisoners and means that there is a greater chance that the prisoner themselves will respond better to their sentence and on release. ‘Out There’ do what they promise and are committed to families even when they have very complex needs. I’ve seen how their non-judgmental response often inspires in families a confidence that they will be able to cope in one of the darkest moments of their families’ lives.”

‘Out There’ is a charity of the religious order, the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. It carries on a Vincentian legacy of work with prisoners and their families first initiated by St Vincent de Paul in war-torn 17th century France. ‘Out There’ has three sisters involved in the work and has just published its sixth annual report. It is currently seeking new trustees interested in this mission and anyone who may be interested is asked to contact the director, Sr Moira Bain, directly.

For more information see: www.outtheresfop.co.uk