Sowing THE seed this Harvest
At Harvest time we remember God's goodness in providing for our physical needs. We celebrate his blessings to us and thank him for his faithfulness. This Harvest, as your church celebrates God's goodness, please remember the spiritual seeds being sown in prisons across the UK by Daylight's prison team as they take the Gospel to prisoners' cells. Please pray that the seeds being sown through Bible studies, chapel services, and on a one-to-one basis, would produce an eternal harvest. And please pray that God would raise up more workers to reach the harvest field behind bars in the UK.To find out more about how your church can be involved this Harvest, click here.
Holding out hope to Holloway - 2 September 2010
'Unsafe, scary and vulnerable' - that is how female offenders serving their sentence at HMP Holloway have described the conditions in which they are living, according to a new report from prison inspectors. HMP Holloway has a reputation for being poorly designed, reflecting a hospital rather than a prison, difficult to run and inefficiently using resources. The report claimed that six out of ten women have felt scared at some point and one offender said Holloway was particularly bad for first time offenders. To read more about how organisations like Daylight can help tackle the problems facing women offenders, click here.Daylight helping to tackle Scotland's ten year high reoffending rate - 1 September 2010
Official figures from Scotland have revealed that the number of ex-offenders who go on to commit more crimes within 2 years of being released from prison has reached a ten year high. Between 2006-2007, 53,260 ex-offenders were reconvicted within two years, taking Scotland's reoffending rate to a level not seen since 1997-1998. The figures also show a marked difference between the offenders who were given community sentences and those given short-term custodial sentences. To find out how Daylight is already helping to tackle this problem, and to read Daylight's response to the new figures, click here.Daylight's September 2010 news update
There are over 7,000 elderly prisoners serving sentences in the UK. Held miles from home, coping with health problems, and struggling to live within an institution that fails to cater for all of their needs, these prisoners face many difficulties which make their life inside even harder. This month's news update explores what it's like to be an elderly prisoner inside and the need for ongoing support for them both before and after release. Also in this month's update, Daylight's two new regional support groups being set up and the exciting new work going on in prisons in Wales and the southwest.To find out more and how you can be involved with our exciting and expanding work, click here.
Young offenders held miles from home and family - 12 August 2010
A report by Ofsted inspectors has concluded that many young offenders in England are being held in secure homes miles from their family. There are currently 400 young people being held in a secure home or training centre as a result of committing an offence or for their own safety. However, the report found that effective and planned long-term support for these young offenders is difficult to achieve because many young people on remand have no idea of where they are being sent and their family are often not informed of where they have been placed until they arrive at the establishment. A lack of ongoing post-release support and little contact with family members often leads to young people reoffending. To read more on this and on Daylight's response to it, click here.Pray with us this summer
Please continue to pray for Daylight's work across the UK this summer as our team of prison workers continue to share the Gospel with offenders and practically support ex-offenders after release. To find out how you can be praying with us, click here.Prisoners' course achievement recognised by prison authorities - 15 July 2010
Young Offenders in HMP Werrington completed a Christianity Explored course in June, run in partnership with Daylight, and had their achievement recognised in an awards ceremony during which they were each presented with a certificate. Both the prison chaplain and governor were delighted with the progress made by the young men on the course. Daylight's Regional Director for the Midlands, involved in running the course, commented, 'it was a wonderful day for all involved to see these young men have their achievement recognised and to know that Daylight's work is being acknowledged by prison authorities'. To see photos from the awards ceremony, click here.'This is a sea-change moment for reform' - 12 July 2010
Jonathan Aitken opened his address on prison reform to an audience in central London claiming, 'this is a sea change moment for reform'. Aitken was part of a panel for a Centre for Social Justice event which brought together practitioners, policy experts and managers from across the third sector to discuss how the criminal justice system could best address the revolving door of reoffending, described by one panellist as an ongoing systemic failure. To read more about the event and Daylight's response to it, click here.Daylight DOING TIME this summer - 12 July 2010
Daylight, has today launched its DOING TIME summer appeal which aims to increase Daylight's work in prisons across the UK during the summer when many other organisations are taking a break. When we all go on our summer holidays, there are 96,000 prisoners who face two long months inside. As temperatures rise, conditions inside become hot and sticky, tensions rise and many activities run by external organisations, including educational courses, take a break. Prisoners often have fewer hours out of their cell and receive fewer visits and letters from family and friends as they too go on holiday. With 25% of prisoners in overcrowded cells, the summer months can be the time when prisoners feel most alone and forgotten. In response, Daylight today launched its DOING TIME appeal to raise support for its prison team who will be stepping up their efforts over the summer to visit and write to more prisoners. To find out more, click here.Daylight and St Helen's visit HMP Holloway
On Sunday 4th July a team of women from St Helen's, Bishopsgate, led by Gillian and Sarah from Daylight, visited HMP Holloway. HMP Holloway has been a women's prison since 1902 and holds approximately 500 offenders, either on remand or serving their sentence, as well as 50 young offenders. The team led a chapel service attended by 60 offenders during which some of them shared about their time in prison. Gillian led a talk on the importance of the Gospel and the need to decide if we will give up everything to follow Jesus. The team led prayers and led singing. Sarah, one of the Daylight team, commented, 'to hear the women sing Amazing Grace and see on some of their faces that they really meant it was such an encouragement. We had a great time with some good conversations and we want to thank the Chaplain for welcoming us into HMP Holloway. We look forward to visiting again in the near future'. Click here for some photos.Daylight first visitors into HMP Bure - 5 July 2010
On Sunday 4th July 2010 Daylight was the first visiting organisation to take a Chapel service in the newly-built HMP Bure. HMP Bure was completed in 2009 and saw the first intake of offenders in November of that year before seeing the remainder of its inmates arrive by the end of April 2010. It is a Category C prison for adult males which has been built on the former RAF Coltishall site, seven miles north of Norfolk. Daylight's team of volunteers in the region visited the prison to take a Chapel service which was well received by the prisoners. Barry, one of the Daylight team, commented that it was well worth the trip and was an exciting opportunity for Daylight to expand its work in prisons in the East of England.COPE Conference 2010, Loch Lomond
In June Sarah and Stephen travelled to Loch Lomond to speak to the Coalition of Prison Evangelists' Conference. They spoke to an audience of prison workers who have vast experience of working inside prisons with offenders across the UK. Sarah spoke of Daylight's work from around the UK and Daylight's plans for the future. Stephen spoke about his work with Christianity Explored and ran a workshop showing people how to use the course in a prison context. Here are the photos from the event.Outdated warehouses of prisoners reflect Victorian England - 1st July 2010
In his first major speech since becoming the Justice Secretary in the new coalition government, Ken Clarke will today announce his plans to attack the soaring reoffending rates caused by ineffectual rehabilitation during short prison sentences. To read Daylight's response, click here..Daylight's July 2010 news update
What does the new coalition Government mean for organisations like Daylight? What is it really like to go into a prison and share the Gospel with offenders? Where is Daylight's CEO, John, travelling to this month? Where is Daylight's work growing? And how can you be involved in these exciting new developments?Find out the answer to all of these questions in our July news update. In this month's update we take a look at what the new policies of the coalition Government mean for Daylight, what it is like to work for Daylight in HMP Manchester, where Daylight's new prayer and support group is starting, and where you can hear John speaking about Daylight's work this month.
To read this month's news update, click here.
Jail not working for short-sentenced prisoners - 23rd June 2010
A new study published today shows that for the 55,000 short-sentenced offenders who are jailed each year, imprisonment is ineffective and a waste of money. Sentences of six months or less cost the taxpayer £350 million but fail to rehabilitate offenders with 74% of them reoffending. Probation officers and prison governors are therefore calling upon the Ministry of Justice to halt its planned £4 billion building programme which will have the capacity to hold a prison population of 95,000 by 2014. The current prison population in England and Wales is 85,000 but Napo, the probation officers union, is arguing for short-term sentences to be replaced by more rigorous community sentences. To read Daylight's response, click here.John talks to Premier Radio's Andy Peck
Last month John spoke to Premier Radio's Andy Tuck about Daylight's work, its plans for the future and the lessons he has learned from being a Christian leader. To listen to the full interview, click here:Part 1
Part 2
Prison places costing more than Eton - 15 June 2010
Ken Clarke, the Justice Secretary, in an interview with Sky News has suggested that fewer offenders should be locked up on short sentences because of the cost to society and the ineffective rehabilitation that occurs during short periods inside. Reflecting upon a prison population that is now double the size it was when he used to be Home Secretary, Ken Clarke commented that while the coalition's priority is to protect the public from dangerous offenders, there needs to be steps made to reduce the level of reoffending that currently happens amongst those who serve short sentences. To read Daylight's response, click here.Another group for Glasgow...
Daylight has established a second Prayer and Support Group in Glasgow which will support Daylight's work in prisons in Scotland and will provide practical support for ex-offenders after their release. The group will meet monthly with the existing Glasgow group to pray for the work and the team working inside prisons, and to develop ongoing support which will help ex-offenders readjust to life on the outside. To read more, click here.Pray with us...
Want to know how you can be supporting Daylight's work in prayer? Click here to find out how you can be praying for Daylight's work in prisons across the UK and with ex-offenders after their release.'We're all in this together' - Government outlines plans for building the big society - 20 May 2010
The Government has outlined its plans for how it will build the Big Society that formed the bedrock of the Conservative manifesto in the run up to the General Election this month. In a statement published this week, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government has laid out how it plans to 'put more power and opportunity into people's hands....to build the Britain they want'. To read more and hear Daylight's response to the plans click here.Government outlines plans for 'rehabilitation revolution' and restorative justice - 20 May 2010
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government has outlined in more detail its policy proposals for its coming term in office which include making the police more accountable and engaging third sector organisations more fully to help deliver the rehabilitation revolution promised by the Conservative party in their election manifesto. To read more about the policy proposals and Daylight's reaction to them, click here.'Keep door for dialogue open' urges Daylight - 12 May 2010
After five days of political wrangling and a rollercoaster of discussions, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have finally agreed a coalition to form Her Majesty's next Government, with David Cameron at the helm. Daylight has welcomed the opportunity to work with the new Government and has urged it to keep the door for dialogue with the third sector open as the problem of reoffending continues to be addressed.To read more, click here.
'I believe in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, in life everlasting'...Do you? - asks SOUL - 11 May 2010
Last night Christianity Explored held a pre-launch event in Central London to showcase its new seven part DVD series which takes its viewers on a journey through Mark's Gospel looking at the identity, call and mission of Jesus Christ. Daylight's CEO, John Scott, attended the event to meet those involved in making the series and to find out more about how it can be used with young people across the country. To find out more about the event and read John's comments on it click here.'Feel free from the threat of crime' says Clegg, 'we'll protect frontline policing and take faster action on anti-social behaviour' says Brown, 'there is such a thing as society, it's just not the same as the state - help us mend broken Britain and build the big society' - says Cameron.
At this crucial time of election, with only one week to go, Daylight outlines the priorities of the three main parties for tackling crime and reoffending, and what they see is the role of organisations like Daylight in helping to address these problems.To read more, click here.
'Dare to believe we can change our world' challenges Cameron - 30 April 2010
This week the Centre for Social Justice, an independent think tank which researches new policy approaches to tackling poverty and social problems in Britain, held the first of three events with each of the main political party leaders in which they have the opportunity to outline how their Government would address issues such as crime. David Cameron was first and addressed a packed audience of voluntary and charity sector organisations by claiming that a Conservative Government would replace big state with the big society. He challenged the audience to put their faith in change and promised to address Britain's broken society in partnership with them. Daylight's Fundraising and Communications Manager, Sarah, attended the event.To read more, click here.
Crime figures fall according to new statistics - 26 April 2010
New figures from the British Crime Survey indicate that crime levels are falling despite assumptions that they would increase during the recession. In response, Daylight's CEO, John Scott, has argued that policymakers need to continue working with third sector organisations, like Daylight, to keep figures down and address the problem of reoffending.To read more, click here.
Daylight's May 2010 news update
Our May 2010 news update includes an interview with one of Daylight's Prison Ministry Associates about his work in HMP Stocken and his experience of working to share the good news of the Gospel with offenders. It also includes an update on Daylight's regional Prayer and Support Group meetings over the last two months, a news roundup from Daylight's central team, and information on how you too can be part of seeing lives behind bars transformed by the Lord Jesus.If you didn't receive your copy of our news update and would like one, contact the Daylight office.
To read more, click here.
Daylight responds to Parole Chief's argument that too many prisoners are locked up for too long - 1 April 2010
In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Sir David Latham, Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales, has said that Britain is too risk-averse when it comes to releasing prisoners. He has told the newspaper that there are too many prisoners being kept in jail beyond their maximum sentence because we have allowed hard cases to make bad law.Read more here
Daylight's John Scott talks to Premier radio about prison ministry and what he's learned as a Christian leader - 31 March 2010
This month Daylight's CEO, John Scott, talked to Andy Peck from Premier Radio's Leadership File programme to talk about Daylight's growing ministry in prisons across the UK and about the lessons he has learned from his experience as a Christian leader.Read more here
Taunton Prayer and Support Group launched - 29 March 2010
A new Daylight Prayer and Support Group was launched in Taunton last week as Daylight supporters and partner churches gathered over breakfast to pray for Daylight's work in prisons and to think of how they too can be practically involved in the ministry with ex-offenders after their release.Read more here
Church is the best way to reduce reoffending - 12 March 2010
Daylight responds to latest report from the National Audit Office which says Government is failing to reduce reoffending rates for short-sentenced prisoners.Read more here
'Short term sentence reoffending costs economy £10bn' (BBC News)
Read more about the latest report from the Prison Reform Trust which looks at the economic costs of the reoffending rates of offenders given short-term sentences here.Pray with us this Easter
Join with us this Easter in praying for and supporting the work of Daylight in prisons across the UK. To see our Easter leaflet click here.Easter Press Release 15th March 2010 - Daylight urges people to pray for prisoners this Easter
Daylight today launched its Easter appeal to encourage supporters to pray for the work that is going on in prisons across the UK. Daylight aims to offer the Gospel to every one of the 83,000 prisoners in British jails. "With such a large number of prisoners, 47% of which are reconvicted within one year, we have a huge opportunity for the Gospel", says new Chief Executive John Scott. "And the effects of imprisonment are wide reaching - 160,000 children face having one of their parents in prison which means that Daylight's work both inside and outside of prisons is of vital importance". In 2009, Daylight visited 50 prisons and made contact with hundreds of prisoners through Chapel services and Bible studies. Working in partnership with prison chaplaincies, Daylight's team of volunteers reach prisoners locally with the goods news of Jesus Christ. One chaplain commented, 'Daylight is a reminder that the Church on the 'inside' is a part of and not separate from the Church outside'. This Easter, Daylight is asking supporters to pray for the ongoing work in prisons so that it might be a time when many prisoners trust in the risen Christ as their saviour and see their lives transformed by Him."As we celebrate Easter, we need to make sure that the mission field behind bars is not forgotten. It is a mission field which needs the Gospel just as much as any other", says John. "We are expanding our work across the country to see more lives transformed from darkness to light as they respond to the message of Christ. To enable us to reach every prison in the UK, and to work with prisoners both during and after their sentence, we are relying upon the prayers and generous gifts from our supporters". Daylight's Easter appeal leaflet can be downloaded from the Daylight website at www.daylightcpt.org
our latest newsletter
Please download our latest newsletter. This includes:- A round up of 2009
- New CEO for Daylight
- New office in Chelmsford
- New staff appointed
- Christianity Explored for prisons being developed
press release - Every prisoner gets the gospel
A pledge to bring the Gospel message to every prisoner in Britain, by working with prison chaplaincies, churches and other Christian organisations, has been made by the new head of the UK prison ministry charity, DaylightRev Dr John Scott has already begun expanding Daylight's work in prisons, travelling the length and breadth of the country visiting churches, prisons and regional Daylight staff to boost the charity's efforts to identify and train Christians who can reach men and women in prison with "the good news of Jesus Christ".
"The door for Christian prison ministry is wide open and the mission field is huge with 83,000 people in prison in the UK," says Dr. Scott. "Daylight is expanding its reach in order to seize this wonderful opportunity to see prisoners' lives transformed when they know Jesus Christ is their saviour."
John is a former Presbyterian minister and company managing director, now based at the new Daylight offices in Chelmsford, Essex. He has appointed new staff to strengthen the charity's fundraising and communications programmes and to increase activities to develop supporter relations.
"I couldn't be more delighted than to have joined Daylight and I've admired the progress of the charity over the years. I'm really excited by what God is doing through the efforts of everyone associated with Daylight".
John has first-hand experience of visiting inmates and leading chapel services and Bible studies, having worked with Daylight over a number of years in Chelmsford prison. "The goal I've set for Daylight is to see the Gospel being preached in every prison in the country and we'll be working in partnership with churches across the UK to provide spiritual and practical support after release for those who become Christians when inside."
Daylight is currently working in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and is seeking to increase the number of prisons it visits on a regular basis in all parts of the UK. In 2009, Daylight visited over 50 prisons and had contact with hundreds of prisoners.