This campaign has now closed
Liberty Choir is a full-circle charity whose work begins inside prisons through weekly rehearsals of a choir (20 prisoners,20 community choir volunteers, director, accompanist) blossoming when the choir's ex-offender graduates leave prison, supported in a community by the team and volunteers
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Prisons are at breaking point. As the Chair of the Justice Committee, investigating the crisis, says "We are sitting on a potential time bomb. It must be defused." Staff are leaving in greater numbers, meaning prisoners locked up for days on end. Re-offending is a huge problem in the UK and prison is an intimidating experience which fails to tackle the problems behind the crimes. Now there is even less support.Prisoners on release are stigmatised, also lacking the skills and contacts to change.
Solution
LC is expanding rapidly into ten prisons in London and the SE and is used to help the most vulnerable prisoners. Self-harm in women’s prisons has risen by 63%.Yet, within weeks, our singers are removed from the risk registers because of the positive benefits of LC.Elsewhere we work with men trying to get off drugs and alcohol as well as very young prisoners.Learning and singing together (building communciation skills, self-confidence and well-being) prisoners form strong bonds with volunteers.
