Published on 30th April 2025
We Did it! - Following the listening to families report by Inquest –2019 when families shared how they’d lost loved ones in custody and felt left in the dark we teamed up with PACT, Families Who Matter, family members who’ve had relatives in prison, Godfrey (whose lived experience behind bars gave us real insight) and Sarah Allen (bringing her clinical expertise). Together, we spotted a clear chance to up our game. Our mission? To completely overhaul how we communicate with families after a loss.
We linked up with PACT and families to completely revamp the guides and letters that relatives receive when someone dies in prison. It was a real labour of love, I was often hunched over my laptop until 8 pm, re-reading every line to make sure it felt right. Because we worked collaboratively, we’d send drafts round the group so everyone could chip in and agree before we even sent it off to print. Seeing that guide finally finished is something I’m genuinely proud of.
Since then, we’ve had the chance to present to Family Liaison Officers across London, and we’ve even had national interest. The guide’s now live on our website, free for anyone to download, print or borrow ideas from. I’ve got a copy at home on my shelf that’s how much it means to me.
It’s heartbreaking that this resource will only ever be needed in the worst of circumstances, but knowing we’ve done everything we can to support families and loved ones brings me real comfort. If it makes even one person feel a bit more heard and cared for at the hardest time, then we’ve done our job.