Dr Stefan Fafinski JP DL (Chair)
Dr Anais Bajwa BChD MSc (Vice-Chair)
Mr Roger Blake JP (Treasurer)
Mr Graham Barker MStJ DL
Mrs Lindsey Beard JP DL
Mrs Yuki Beardmore-Gray JP
Mrs Angeline Gore
Mr Paul Reid JP
Mr Nigel Woodley JP CMgr FCMI
Mrs Lucy Zeal DL
Our Patron is Mr James H L Puxley CVO CStJ DL
Back story of one our previous Trustees: Mr Derek Richards Jones founder of Emailaprisoner service.
What I’d really like to get through to anyone who may have a challenged background is don’t give up. It doesn’t matter what’s happened to you in your past: if you’re willing to change, you can change – it’s about your commitment. Just be a little bit selfish (and prisoners are good at that) A criminal record does not need to hold you back. Only your imagination will. You can do anything you set your mind to regardless of any obstacles.
Sometimes, part of the learning process is failure.
Sometimes, you must fail to succeed.
Do not let your history determine your future – you are the only one who controls that.
During my time in prison I found a big void in the communication system.
The present postal system was slow and unreliable.
Regular contact with friends and relatives helps prisoners well-being as well as reducing reoffending rates.
After setting up a pilot email service initially the service has been rolled out into all UK prisons as well as expanding into prisons in Holland. Australia is also interested in rolling out the Emailaprisoner service.
I have also introduced a secure payment service business which allows families to make deposits directly into the prison finance departments which again has and continues to prove hugely successful.
In 2015/16 I sold the company to Unilink software and together with Unilink, Emailaprisoner won the Queens Award for Enterprise in innovation. I remained CEO for a few years before taking a back seat and I am now a consultant to the company.
Society may label us as an ex-offender but we can change the labels we identify with to success, hope and lifting self imposed limitations.