The holiday season can be isolating for people in prison. While families gather to celebrate, thousands face the season separated from everyone they love. For many, this is compounded by an invisible barrier: they can’t share the words to describe how they feel.
Imagine wanting to tell your child you love them, but needing to ask someone else to write the words for you. Or receiving a letter from a close family member and having to wait hours - or days - for someone else to read it aloud, taking away your privacy in your most intimate moments. This is the reality for many people in prison.
One Shannon Trust learner described life before learning to read: "I had to ask for help with everything such as writing a letter to my family or friends. Then I would have to get help again reading the reply." The loss of independence can be difficult, but during family-focused holidays when connection matters most, the inability to write your own words is even harder to handle.
The gift of connection
Shannon Trust was founded on the power of letters. In the early 1990s, founder Christopher Morgan corresponded with Tom Shannon, who was serving time in prison, through a pen friend scheme. Through their letters, Morgan learned about prison life and the shocking levels of poor literacy among people in prison. Those letters, later published as "Invisible Crying Tree," generated royalties that established Shannon Trust in 1997.
Today, we continue that legacy of connection through helping people learn and improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Using the Turning Pages reading programme, or our Count Me In numeracy programme, people in prison learn to read and improve their numeracy skills through peer-to-peer mentoring. Fellow people in prison who can read and understand numeracy volunteer their time to teach those who cannot, creating a supportive community even within prison walls.
The transformation is profound. One learner shared: “For 49 years I couldn't read. Now I'm reading letters from my grandchildren.” Another wrote: “There is nothing better than being able to read and write your own letters to your loved ones.”
More than words on a page
Learning to read and understand numeracy goes beyond the ability to send Christmas cards or birthday wishes - it has the power to fundamentally change family relationships. As one learner explained: "I am now more involved with my children, making me a better parent. My relationships with friends and family are now more intimate. I can express myself honestly as I don't have to rely on others."
This independence is especially crucial during emotionally charged times. Families can share stories, express love in their own words and maintain bonds that are essential for life after release. Research shows that staying in touch with family is a key factor in reducing reoffending - and this connection depends on communication.
Shannon Trust mentors, who are themselves people in prison who offer their time to help, understand this intimately. One learner wrote: "If it was not for the Shannon Trust mentor, I would not be able to write this letter to you sitting in my cell on my own."
Your support matters – now and every day
This festive season, when you support Shannon Trust, you're giving more than literacy or numeracy skills. You're enabling a parent to write their child's name for the first time. You're making it possible for someone to improve their confidence with numbers, to help navigate daily life in prison and on the outside. You're helping to rebuild the family connections that will support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.
The gift of learning is the gift of dignity, connection and hope - during the festive season, throughout the year and beyond prison walls.
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