QUOTES.

"It is like having a member of my family come and see me every week. It just, you know, helps me through."

"Thanks for the visit. You have really helped me through a bad time."

"Having a visitor means a lot. It means that someone from the outside is bothered enough about me to come and visit."

"I always thought it was a bit naff to have a Prison Visitor until I met you on the wing. Now I can't wait for your visits. I think all the lads should have an OPV. If it was up to me I'd make it, like, you had to have one."

"I know what I've done. I'm not happy about it, but I know now that I'm not forgotten or ignored. Your visits prove that."

"Yeah, I'm back! I'm sorry. I feel I've sort of let YOU down."

"Thanks for your visits, they've really helped me get through the sentence. You have made me determined that I'm not coming in here again, NOT EVER. I know that there is a better way to do things. Thanks again."

"Thanks for that postcard. It looks a really nice place.I've kept all the cards you've sent me, its great to get proper mail."

"It's the interest you show. I don't know if you understand, but I feel now as though somebody cares. Maybe if someone had shown this interest a few years ago I wouldn't be here now; who knows where I might have been? Do you think its too late for me to get a life?"

"Seriously though, you have really helped me to keep things in perspective. I will miss you a lot as I have relied on your visits to help me through a lot and weigh up the pros and cons of decisions I have to take. So thank you very much."

The quotes on this page are all genuine comments made by prisoners to OPVs in just one prison. They show what value the prisoners place on their visits and what a positive effect OPVs can have on a prisoner's attitude and future aspirations.

"I would like to thank you for visiting me at -------- prison, it is nice to know that there are still some good and trustworthy people left in what I have come to know as an horrendous world. Individuals like yourselves will probably never realise what great works that you are actually carrying out. I know that you come across some prisoners who have done awful things, but unlike many others you are never hostile or critical. You are always willing to see the most needy and less needy, I think your organisation should receive all the funding necessary to continue your brilliant work, again I would like to thank you especially and all your colleagues.

The above quote is from a farewell letter from a prisoner due for transfer to another establishment.

I woke up this morning and I thought, "What day is it?" - 'cos they're all alike in this place .... and then I thought "It's Thursday - my Prison Visitor's coming today", and this big smile spread right across my face. Nobody saw it, but it really set my day up, that smile!