Life After Prison – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Zak and Jules sit down with former Prison Officer, Alex South to discuss her time working in some of the UKs most notorious prisons including HMPs Whitemoor, Wormwood Scrubs and Belmarsh.  

Alex tells Zak and Jules about the main reasons she wanted to become a prison officer, and talks about the characters she met and the conditions she saw in the prisons she worked in.  

Alex also shares what she thinks needs to be done to improve conditions for staff and prisoners living and working in the UK's prisons, and the importance of positive relationships between staff and prisoners.  

This episode is also available as a video, just search Life After Prison in Youtube.

Useful organisations: 

• Trailblazers https://trailblazersmentoring.org.uk/ 

• National Association of Official Prison Visitors https://www.naopv.com/ 

• Belong https://belongmakingjusticehappen.co.uk/ 

Contact us: 

 If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

In this episode Jules talks to successful business woman, Tracy Mackness, who’s had a huge transformation from a self-proclaimed ‘Essex Bad Girl’ to a pig farmer.  

 Tracy runs the Giggly Pig Company, and has around 600 pigs, (as well as 18 dogs and 2 chickens!). Tracy first came into contact with pigs when serving a 10 year prison sentence. One of the over 50 courses Tracy took inside was pig husbandry, and that experience changed her life on a massive scale. 

 The full version of this episode can be found wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1646949340 

Useful organisations: 

• Giggly Pig Company https://www.gigglypig.co.uk/

• The Oswin Project, Farming Out https://oswinproject.org.uk/our-work/farming-out/

• The Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/

• Unlock https://unlock.org.uk/

 Contact us: 

 If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

Zak and Jules are continuing to chew over the massive subject of relationships when one or other of the people involved are in prison. In this episode they focus on how it feels when you’re inside but the person you love is on the out.  

Useful Organisations:

• Prison Phone Limited https://www.prisonphone.co.uk/ 

• Sussex Prisoners Families – https://www.sussexprisonersfamilies.org.uk/ 

• Partners of Prisoners https://www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk/ 

• PACT https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/ 

• Prisoners Families Helpline 0808 808 2003 

• Families and Friends of Prisoners https://ffops.co.uk/ 

• National Prison Radio Family and Friends Request Show https://prison.radio/national-prison-radio/#songrequest 

Contact us:  

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

This week on Life After Prison we’re throwing it back to a really important episode about building your confidence up again when you've been inside. Whether it’s navigating social situations, knowing what to say in a job interview, or feeling like people are judging you for your conviction, it can be really tough to get your confidence back after spending time in jail. In this episode Zak and Jules break it down with some help from other people who've been behind the door.  

This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. 

Organisations mentioned:  

• CALM – https://www.thecalmzone.net/  

• CALM helpline – 0800 58 58 58 (open 5pm-midnight)  

• Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org/  

• Samaritans helpline – 24 hours a day all year round on 116 123  

• MIND - https://www.mind.org.uk/

• MIND Infoline number – 0300 123 3393 (provides an information and signposting service. Open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday except for bank holidays.)  

• SHOUT – text for free any time on 85258 – https://giveusashout.org/

• NHS Mental Health Services – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/

• Spark Inside - https://www.sparkinside.org/

• Switchback – https://switchback.org.uk/

Contact us: 

If anything you’ve heard in today’s episode that has helped you, or if you just want to get in touch, please do. 

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

In this episode, Zak and Jules sit down with Ian Thomas to talk about his experience of the care system, and his journey from care to addiction, prison and recovery. In the first part of this incredible conversation, Ian shares the story of how he was first arrested aged 10.5, and talks about how his addiction began. 

If you’re struggling with your mental health and you need support today, you can contact The Samaritans on 116 123 any time of the day or night. 

 Please know that you are not alone, you matter and there are people out there who can help you. 

This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. 

 Organisations mentioned:  

The Rees Foundation: https://www.reesfoundation.org/ Number to call Mon-Fri 9-5: 0330 094 5645 

The Forward Trust  https://www.forwardtrust.org.uk/ 

The Care Leavers Covenant  https://mycovenant.org.uk/ 

The Care Leavers Association https://www.careleavers.com/ 

Other organisations that you may find helpful: 

Support with Your Mental Health: 

CALM – https://www.thecalmzone.net/ 

CALM helpline – 0800 58 58 58 (open 5pm-midnight) 

Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org/ 

Samaritans helpline – 116 123 (24 hours) 

MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk 

MIND Infoline number – 0300 123 3393 (provides an information and signposting service. Open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday except for bank holidays.) 

SHOUT – text for free any time on 85258 – https://giveusashout.org/ 

NHS Mental Health Services – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/menta... 

Together – https://www.together-uk.org/ 

Turning Point – https://www.turning-point.co.uk/servi... 

Rethink – https://www.rethink.org/ 

If you’re a woman, these orgs can help direct you to a women's centre which is a great place to find all kinds of support: 

Women In Prison – https://womeninprison.org.uk/ 

Advance/Minerva – https://www.advancecharity.org.uk/ 

Support with Addiction and Recovery: 

Humankind – https://humankindcharity.org.uk/drug-and-alcohol-recovery/ 

Breaking Free/Change Grow Live – https://www.changegrowlive.org/  

Kaleidoscope – https://kaleidoscope68.org/  

Turning Point – https://www.turning-point.co.uk/support-we-offer/drugs-and-alcohol 

Nelson Trust – https://www.nelsontrust.com/ 

We Are With You – https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/ 

Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in today’s episode has helped you, or if you just want to get in touch, please do. 

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter @lifeafterprisonpod on TikTok 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

This week we're throwing it back to a really useful episode about managing your health once you have left prison. Kate Morrissey from NHS England joins us to explain how to register with a GP, talk about the NHS Reconnect service and how to access it and provides information about where else you can go for support for different healthcare needs. 

Organisations mentioned: How to register with a GP surgery – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/h...

If you have problems registering with a GP surgery you can call the NHS England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 22 33 or contact your local Healthwatch (https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/)

Groundswell GP Registration Toolkit – https://groundswell.org.uk/wp-content... Groundswell 'My right to healthcare' cards – https://groundswell.org.uk/all-resour...

The NHS website – https://www.nhs.uk/

Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111 (https://111.nhs.uk/) or call 111 from your phone (calls are free).

Call 111 to speak to someone if you need to: discuss complex medical problems, discuss worries about a long-term condition, get end-of-life care, or report a death, report child protection or vulnerable adult concerns

Other ways to contact 111 if you have a hearing problem or need help in other languages – https://111.nhs.uk/Help/OtherWays

Support from your local pharmacy – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/presc... Frank (Drug Helpline) Help & Advice – https://www.talktofrank.com/get-help Mental Health Charity MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-s...

Citizens Advice – https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in today’s episode has helped you, or if you just want to get in touch, please do.

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter @lifeafterprisonpod on TikTok

📧 Email us: [email protected]

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Zak and Jules hear from listeners who have partners in prison and talk about how tricky it can be when your loved one is behind the door. 

This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. 

 Useful organisations: 

• Sussex Prisoners Families – https://www.sussexprisonersfamilies.org.uk/ 

• Partners of Prisoners https://www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk/ 

• PACT https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/ 

• Prisoners Families Helpline 0808 808 2003 

• Families and Friends of Prisoners https://ffops.co.uk/ 

• National Prison Radio Family and Friends Request Show https://prison.radio/national-prison-radio/#songrequest 

This season we want to hear what you think about Life After Prison, by completing this short survey https://forms.gle/de9a94MM3i3sujmC8  

The feedback we collect from you guys, the Life After Prison community, will help us to make Life After Prison the best that it can be for everyone.   

It should take around 5 minutes to complete and your responses will be stored anonymously, and only used for the purposes that we've outlined.   

We really appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. Thank you!! 

 Contact us: If you’ve heard something today that’s encouraged you to get some support around your mental health please let us know. 

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter 

📧 Email us: [email protected] 

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ 

In this episode, Jules and Zak are joined by Wendy Robinson from CALM to talk about taking care of your mental health after you leave prison. We talk about how challenging it is when you first come out, and how reality can be different to what you expected. Wendy talks about how normal it is to struggle with your mental health after prison and the different ways you can get help.

If you’re struggling with your mental health and you need support today, you can contact The Samaritans on 116 123 any time of the day or night. Please know that you are not alone, you matter and there are people out there who can help you.

Organisations mentioned:

CALM – https://www.thecalmzone.net/

CALM helpline – 0800 58 58 58 (open 5pm-midnight)

Samaritans – https://www.samaritans.org/

Samaritans helpline – 116 123 (24 hours)

MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk

MIND Infoline number – 0300 123 3393 (provides an information and signposting service. Open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday except for bank holidays.)

SHOUT – text for free any time on 85258 – https://giveusashout.org/

NHS Mental Health Services – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/menta...

Together – https://www.together-uk.org/

Turning Point – https://www.turning-point.co.uk/servi...

Rethink – https://www.rethink.org/

If you’re a woman, these orgs can help direct you to a women's centre which is a great place to find all kinds of support:

Women In Prison – https://womeninprison.org.uk/

Advance/Minerva – https://www.advancecharity.org.uk/

This season we want to hear what you think about Life After Prison, by completing this short survey https://forms.gle/de9a94MM3i3sujmC8  

The feedback we collect from you guys, the Life After Prison community, will help us to make Life After Prison the best that it can be for everyone.   

It should take around 5 minutes to complete and your responses will be stored anonymously, and only used for the purposes that we've outlined.   

We really appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. Thank you!! 

Contact us: If you’ve heard something today that’s encouraged you to get some support around your mental health please let us know.

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter

📧 Email us: [email protected]

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Steve Gallant was serving a life sentence for murder when he made headlines for tackling a terrorist on London Bridge. In part one of their conversation with Steve, Zak and Jules hear all about the events that happened on that dramatic day on London Bridge in 2019, and how it led to Steve receiving the Queen’s gallantry medal for bravery. They also ask Steve how he dealt with receiving a life sentence, and what he learnt from doing such a long stretch in prison. 

This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube.

Useful organisations:

The Howard League For Penal Reform  https://howardleague.org/

Own Merit CIC https://ownmerit.org/

The Shannon Trust https://www.shannontrust.org.uk/

Read Easy https://readeasy.org.uk/

This season we want to hear what you think about Life After Prison, by completing this short survey https://forms.gle/de9a94MM3i3sujmC8

The feedback we collect from you guys, the Life After Prison community will help us to make Life After Prison the best that it can be for everyone. 

It should take around 5 minutes to complete and your responses will be stored anonymously, and only used for the purposes that we've outlined. 

We really appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. Thank you!!

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok

📧 Email us: [email protected]

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Continuing or starting education after leaving prison can be a challenge. Here, Scott from the Shannon Trust chats to Zak and Jules about the importance of education, what the challenges might be when you leave prison, and what options are out there after jail. 

Organisations mentioned: Shannon Trust – https://www.shannontrust.org.uk/

Read Easy – https://readeasy.org.uk/

National Careers Service – https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

National Careers Service Hotline – 0800 100 900

WEA – https://www.wea.org.uk/about-us

Open University –https://www.open.ac.uk/

NACRO - https://www.nacro.org.uk/

This season we want to hear what you think about Life After Prison, by completing this short survey https://forms.gle/de9a94MM3i3sujmC8 

The feedback we collect from you guys, the Life After Prison community will help us to make Life After Prison the best that it can be for everyone. 

It should take around 5 minutes to complete and your responses will be stored anonymously, and only used for the purposes that we've outlined. 

We really appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. Thank you!! 

Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in today’s episode has encouraged you to pick up education again, or if you just want to get in touch, please do.

💬 DM us: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and Twitter

📧 Email us: [email protected]

✉️ Write to us: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/