Freddie Mercury!

Disco Dancing at HMP Bullingdon!
Posted on 04/06/2008 by RAPt

Recently, two CARAT apprentices from HMP Bullingdon - Jemma Hough and Nicola Allen - held a Madonnatastic 80's disco to help raise sponsorship for their trek to Kilimanjaro. The intrepid two will be trekking in aid of RAPt this October and hope to raise £3,000 each. The disco evening was a huge success and there was a prize for the best 1980's fancy dress which was won by MC Hammer! Also present were Bananaman and Freddie Mercury..... A great time was had by all and if you would like to help Jemma and Nicola reach their target, you can go to www.justgiving.com/jemmyjamjam and donate securely online. This is a life changing event - not just for the girls, but for all the people we can help with the funds raised. You can't touch this!!

RAPt's CARAT Team at HMP Standford Hill

National Tackling Drugs Week at HMP Standford Hill
Posted on 20/05/2008 by RAPt

The CARAT Team at HMP Standford Hill held a very successful Drug Strategy open day on Monday 19th May to promote National Tackling Drugs Week. The aim of the day was to show what drug rehabilitation services are available throughout the prison cluster in Kent as well as to promote healthy living and healthcare in the prison.

Local DIP teams, RAPt’s 12 Step Rehab team from HMP Swaleside, Cruse Bereavement Counsellors, Kenward Trust Rehab, Turning Point, NA, AA, and many more set up stalls in the prison visits hall promoting their agencies and giving prisoners and staff the opportunity to get information about services. Prisoners and staff also competed in drug awareness quizzes, got information about smoking cessation and relaxation sessions and enjoyed healthy drinks and snacks.

Agencies felt that the day had been an excellent because the turnout and interest was so high. The feedback from prisoners was also very complementary; they were surprised to see exactly how much help and support there is for them in the community as well as in prison.

HMP Elmey will also be holding an open day to mark National Tackling Drugs Week on Thursday 22nd May.

RAPt Graduate's Message Of Hope In New Book
Posted on 14/05/2008 by RAPt

Liz Martin, RAPt’s Aftercare Manager attended the book launch of RAPt graduate Peter Woolf on May 13th at Waterstone’s in Piccadilly. It was, without doubt, an incredibly moving event. Not only was Lord Falconer, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice present, but also Baroness Tessa Blackstone, former Minister and Patron of the newly launched 'Why Me?', an organisation that has been set by and for victims of crime who have benefited from their experience of the Restorative Justice process, and want others to benefit from the same opportunity. A powerful short film entitled 'The Woolf Within' in which Peter and his victim Will Riley were interviewed about their experiences was also screened.

The book entitled 'The Damage Done' published by Bantam Press is a searingly honest and gritty portrayal of a man ensconced in a world of violence and depravity who, against the odds, managed to turn his life around.

Peter Woolf, 51, spent half his life in and out of jail. A heroin addict at fourteen he went on to become a notorious career criminal with close links to the London crime underworld. Yet, amazingly, today Peter is clean having completed the RAPt treatment programme five years ago at HMP Norwich and has not re-offended since. Peter also had a life-changing meeting in 2002 when he came face to face with some of his victims through a Restorative Justice programme.

'The Damage Done' has a strong message for Peter’s readers:
“I want to tell them all that there is another way; that you don’t have to lie, cheat and steal; that you can be clean and happy; that the drinks and drugs I took weren’t the problem any more than they were the solution to my problems. They just disguised them.”

Peter is now married and lives in Norfolk. He regularly gives lectures to police forces and other groups up and down the country on Restorative Justice. He is employed by the Metropolitan Police as a Restorative consultant, working in North London with prolific and priority offenders and also continues to speak on behalf of RAPt.

He pays tribute to RAPt in the acknowledgements of the book, and within the text he thanks Val (his former counsellor) for her amazing work and support. He also highlights the role that RAPt played in his life, saying “I don’t think I’d have managed to do everything I did if it weren’t for RAPt.”

RAPt would like to congratulate Peter on the occasion of the launch of 'The Damage Done' -- a remarkable achievement and an inspirational message of hope for offenders with drug and alcohol dependencies.

‘The Damage Done’ by Peter Woolf can be purchased online and in bookstores. The short film 'The Woolf Within' can be viewed on http://www.youtube.com/watch.

RAPt at UKESAD
Posted on 10/05/2008 by RAPt

RAPt staff and volunteers were well represented at the 5th annual UK/European symposium on Addictive Disorders May 8th-10th. RAPt was a key sponsor of the three day event, Europe’s largest conference on addiction treatment.

Head of services, Gail Jones and research manager, Eli Grant gave a fascinating presentation entitled Do No Harm: Working Safely WithTrauma about evidence-based methods for working safely and effectively with addicts who have experienced trauma. RAPt’s work with women at HMP Send and its prison based alcohol project were highlighted as examples of how to work successfully with trauma and addiction.

Chief Executive, Mike Trace was a key contributor to the Define ‘Recovery’ – And Put The Drug Strategy In Context lecture along with other leading figures in the drug and alcohol treatment field. This lecture drew a large audience as it covered two of the most important issues for debate in 2008: the new national 10-year drug strategy and endeavours to define ‘recovery’.

Kevin and Hatty at the Start Line!

London Marathon 2008
Posted on 01/05/2008 by RAPt

Our five wonderful Marathon runners achieved a record breaking £7,000 in donations for RAPt this year.
Hatty Graham-Campbell (pictured), Sam Lockwood, Andrew Cowan, Kevin Stevens (pictured)and Adam Starr had to contend with a wet and slippery course in London on Sunday the 13th of April but they all did amazingly well and Andrew was even playing football the next day! Sam, who had to run with a torn calf muscle, said that she was pleased with her finishing time of 4 hours 46 minutes but the edge was slightly taken off the day when she was overtaken at the end by a giant pasty!

There was a good show of support from RAPt head office staff and when Kevin and Adam arrived at the end to celebrate with a well earned pint of lemonade, their huge entourage of friends and family were spilling into the street – despite the weather.

Thanks to all who took part and to those who very generously supported our runners.

Alcohol Dependency Treatment Programme Accredited
Posted on 04/04/2008 by RAPt

On 28th March 2008, the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (CSAP) awarded full accreditation status to RAPt’s Alcohol Dependency Treatment Programme. This is the first Alcohol treatment programme to be accredited in the UK.

While there has been a proliferation of rehabilitation programmes in prisons for drug dependent offenders there has been a significant lack of treatment opportunities for offenders whose crimes are related to their use of alcohol. Towards the end of 2006 the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) commissioned RAPt to develop a programme for Alcohol dependent offenders at HMP Bullingdon the pilot programme began in January 2007.

The results from the programme are very encouraging and show that the programme is able to bring about significant changes in the offenders who undertake the programme. Preliminary finding show that:

• The majority of men accessing the programme are in custody for violent offences connected to their alcohol use;
• Most have been dependent on alcohol for more that 6 years;
• The programme is able to substantially impact on offenders risk of re-offending;
• Participants show increased awareness of the impact of their crimes on their victims;
• Post treatment, 77% of participants rated their risk of relapse as either low or very low; and
• Participants completing the programme continue to access support to help them stay sober and avoid the risk of re-offending on release.

Gail Jones, Head of Services at RAPt was involved with the development of the Prison Services Alcohol Strategy and has lobbied for an increase in provision for Alcohol dependent offenders for many years. Following the news she said “We have now been able to show that it is possible to provide good quality interventions for this group of offenders. Most of the men accessing the programme have significant histories of violent crimes connected to their alcohol use. The development of an alcohol specific rehabilitation programme is good news for men in prison who have historically been unable to access treatment – it is also good news for their families and victims. I hope funding will now be made available to establish more Alcohol Dependency Treatment Programme’s in prisons in England and Wales.“

RAPt would also like to thank the Governor of HMP Bullingdon, Phil Taylor, for all his support in piloting the programme.

RAPt graduate Peter Woolf shares his story of recovery

House of Lords Reception
Posted on 02/04/2008 by RAPt

Thanks to the support of Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, on the 2nd April, in the wonderful surroundings of the River Room at the House of Lords RAPt trustees and senior management had the opportunity to address a room full of MPs, Peers, donors, supporters and Government Officials.

Further to a welcoming address by Baroness Masham and Baroness Hayman, Michael Wilks, Chair and Trustees and Mike Trace, Chief Executive got the opportunity to address the assembled group.

The key themes of their speeches were:

· The effectiveness to the RAPt programme – this was backed up by an emotional and moving speech by RAPt graduate, Peter Woolf;

· How the RAPt programme offers value for money;

· Accreditation of our alcohol dependency treatment programme;

· How this is all possible due to the professionalism and commitment of RAPt staff; and

· The need for drug free wings, despite the overcrowding.

Dame Judi Dench and Edward Fox

A Christmas Carol
Posted on 17/12/2007 by RAPt

RAPt was delighted that the greatest actress of our 'time, Dame Judi Dench agreed to read a lesson at our Christmas concert at St Peter's Church, Eaton Square in December. Attended by a whole host of famous faces and long-term supporters of RAPt, Dame Judi read a beautiful poem by T.S Eliot, The Journey of the Magi, making it a truly beautiful event. Thanks to our volunteer events organiser, Catty Lowsley-Williams, she managed to bring together some very special guests to take part in the event including Sir James and Lady Galway, Edward Fox, Andrew Lincoln and Anna Chancellor. An emotional address was conducted by Spencer Coleshill, who is one of our graduates. After his moving address there was not a dry eye in the church. The concert was well attended and has managed to raise about £12,000 for RAPt and helped raise awareness of RAPt. After the event, The Times, The Telegraph and the Evening Standard all covered the concert and published spectacular pictures of Dame Judi smiling and laughing throughout the service. Delicious canapés were donated by Mosimanns on the night and wine was donated by Goedhuis & Company. Our aim is that the concert will now be an annual event in the fundraising calendar and we look forward to another red carpet Christmas event in 2008.

Trinny set to see the psychic barber ...

KNOWING RIGHT FROM WRONG
Posted on 29/11/2007 by RAPt

The RAPt quiz, hosted at the Hammersmith Town Hall by Sir Trevor McDonald, was generally thought to be the best ever. Organised to awe-inspiring perfection by Pippa Sedgwick and Jessica Berens, it attracted, as always, a host of celebrities ( Jimmy Page and Trinny Woodall) as well as terrifyingly intelligent persons to answer questions set by Judith Keppell. The winner was HMP Belmarsh, lead by Claire Denholm, managing director of Smart Resource Ltd. Journalist Deborah Orr (HMP The Mount) aided by author India Knight and actor Pip Torrens, were pipped to second by a measly one point, while Antoine Laurent ( HMP Frankland) came in third. Extremely lovely lights and decs were provided by Susan Clarke with help from Party Planners. The auction prizes were spectacular, thanks to Catty Lowsley-Williams who helped to bring in a pair of made to order Jimmy Choo shoes, amongst many other goodies. Trinny Woodall, meanwhile, made a generous donation in order to avail herself of a reading with Gordon Smith, the psychic barber whose accuracy has made him a legend and who generously contributed a session to aid the RAPt cause.

Sharyn W with her daughter Paicha

IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT
Posted on 17/10/2007 by RAPt

The graduate reunion went off very well at the Fulham Town Hall, attracting nearly 200 people many of whom who have done the RAPt 12-Step programme at our prison based units and are now enjoying successful lives in the community. Colin A, who now works as a volunteer at Addaction, gave a moving speech about his recovery while Cathy T told the audience about her experience with the Tower Hamlets Island Day Programme, being both surprised and grateful that such a high quality of care was available to members of the community. We were also grateful to the authorities at HMP Send who allowed women in primary treatment to attend the day. It was, as always, an affirming event, where many people had a chance to share their experience, strength and hope - proving that IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT.

Firewalking for charity.

BURNING AMBITIONS
Posted on 11/09/2007 by RAPt

The RAPt Firewalk was an incendiary success. Held at Halloween, in the famous Windmill pub on Clapham Common, we are estimating that £10,000 has been raised by the 20 or so brave people who walked bare-foot across a long stretch of burning embers. This was all part of a ' Mastery of Fear' seminar. Our fundraisers were watched by over 200 amazed observers. Congratulations to everybody.