The festive season is a time when many of us draw closer to family and friends; sharing laughter over dinner, catching up via video calls, and sending heartfelt cards that can brighten winter days. These traditions remind us how much connection matters.
But for someone in prison, staying connected isn’t always so simple. All UK prisons are closed to visitors on public holidays, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day. When confidence with the written word is low, even sending a short message can feel overwhelming. And yet, these small gestures, like a letter, or a card, can mean everything. This season let’s remember that building these bridges matters, and help make connections possible for everyone.
For some, connection over the festive period is linked to faith, and for others, the end of another year is a time to reflect on the past months, to look forward and plan, and to catch up with those who mean most to us. Positive relationships are important in helping people learn and grow, so supporting those in the prison system to keep their ties with family and friends strong is key to rehabilitation; in the long run it benefits everyone.
The essential work we do at Shannon Trust helps our learners connect with those they care about, through reading and writing. Cards and letters may seem like a small gesture, but to someone in prison, or their parent, partner or child, they’re massive. They show people are thinking about you and have made the effort to reach out. They strengthen bonds and make the separation at this time of year a little less isolating. It’s easy to see why. Handwritten words are tangible and personal and give people an avenue to express themselves through written words which can be treasured.
One of our learners at HMP Ashfield shared what working with Shannon Trust means to him. “I never once felt belittled or uncomfortable, which I put down to the mentor. After a lifetime of being put down it can be tough to engage with learning. I felt comfortable and am amazed at my progress; it’s been amazing to be able to communicate through written words with my family.”
A learner at HMP Featherstone also spoke about how important it is to connect with those at home. “Since I have been working with Shannon Trust, working with my mentor, my life has changed for the better. My confidence when reading has grown, so now I can confidently read to my children.”
Being able to give another person the tools to strengthen their connections with the world outside helps our mentors feel a sense of purpose and pride. A mentor from HMP Thameside said, “Since becoming a mentor, I have helped many learners become more confident in their skills to read and write. Growing up in London, I was lucky to go to school and learn such skills. Being a mentor at HMP Thameside has really shown me how lucky I actually am to have basic skills in English and Maths. While I have been here, I have worked many jobs but none give me as much satisfaction as being a Shannon Trust mentor. The joy I see in people’s faces when they have the confidence and capability to read and write their own letters to family and friends is indescribable.”
Almost 12,000 learners have engaged with Shannon Trust programmes in the past twelve months. This festive season many of them will be able to write something to people they care about, and for some this will be for the first time. They’ll also be able to read letters and cards sent to them without needing to ask someone else to help.
To help keep those vital connections with loved ones alive, Shannon Trust has ceated festive greeting cards, beautifully designed by one of our volunteers and stocked at HMP Leyhill, which can be ordered and sent within prison. We will also use them to share messages of thanks with our donors, supporters, and partners. They may not replace the warmth of a visit, but each card carries a spark of hope, and a reminder that even when miles and walls separate us, words can still bring us closer. This festive season, let’s believe in the power of small gestures to light the way toward brighter days and stronger bonds.
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