New Bridge Befriending
No one should be solely judged by the worst thing that they have done
New Bridge, founded in 1956, creates links between people in prison and the community. New Bridge befriends people in prison in England and Wales through a network of volunteers who write to and visit them. Our intention is not to forget the victims of crime but to prevent more people from becoming victims. New Bridge is a non-campaigning organisation.
New Bridge relies completely on support from individuals and organisations who believe that people should not be completely isolated from the world outside their prison gates and to which they are most likely to return when they are released.
The demand for New Bridge befriending has never been greater – at a time when the prison population is one of the highest it has ever been – and our mission is to at least double our befriending activity.
Help us bring light into the darkest places:
Donate to or fundraise for New Bridge – every penny raised counts towards befriending someone who would otherwise have little or no contact with the outside world.
Leave a legacy to New Bridge – remembering New Bridge befriending in your will helps to ensure that befriending isolated and vulnerable people in prison will continue for many years to come. In 1956, our founders never envisaged that the prison population would rise in the way it has.
Become a befriender – are you someone people in prison could trust, who won’t put labels on them, who talks straight, stays in touch and doesn’t make promises that can’t be kept?
Join our board – trustees provide essential strategic leadership and direction and help us to grow.