Together4Bristol : Happy Easter from Sixty-One!

Happy Easter from Sixty-One!

This week, we delivered 400 Easter gift packs to Eastwood Park Women’s Prison to be handed out to the women over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. As well as the gifts, each of the women will receive information about our MentorMe mentoring programme and a booklet explaining the Easter message. Both of these things, in different ways, offer the opportunity of a new life. When a new life comes into the world it isn’t an easy process. There can be pain and struggle involved as well as immeasurable joy and happiness. Struggle doesn’t negate value, often it increases it. For the men and women who we support, starting a new life on release from prison isn’t always easy; there can be so many hurdles to overcome, but the value of that new life is immeasurable and so worth it. Having someone to walk alongside and safe communities to be a part of makes all the difference. We are so grateful for the many and varied ways that you support us here at Sixty-one and wish you all a very Happy Easter. Elizabeth, CEO Sixty-One

Could you mentor someone who's been in prison?

We are in real need of more mentors. This June, we'll be holding our next training course for people who want to explore if mentoring is right for them. The training sessions will give you a much greater understanding of what it means to be a mentor without committing yourself to this role. You'll learn a lot about yourself and it's great fun! Training Dates: Saturday 3rd June 09:30am-3:30pm Thursday 8th June 7pm-9pm Saturday 17th June 09:30am-3:30pm Thursday 22nd June 7pm-9pm Thursday 29th June 7pm-9pm (only for those wishing to become a mentor) To find out more, please email info a_t sixty-one d_o_t org or call us on 0117 403 7905

Spring Celebration Event

"This was just what I needed!" was one mentee's reflection at the end of our Spring Celebration Event. We love the opportunity to celebrate our wonderful mentors and mentees and welcomed 51 people to a sit down meal. There was a buzz of conversation as everyone enjoyed time together, chocolate themed quizzes and hearing two of our mentees share their stories. A mentee, who had come for the very first time not knowing many people, described the evening as “like walking into a room of friends [they] just hadn’t met yet!”

Gifts and Rucksacks!

24 wonderful adults plus children joined us at St Agnes Church to pack up the Easter Gifts for the women at Eastwood Park Prison. There was a great atmosphere and community spirit as we packed up 400 parcels for the women ready for this weekend. We've also provided a hamper of Easter goodies for the visitor's hall, so that people receiving a visit over the Easter weekend can give an Easter gift to their loved ones. If you would like to donate to this project, there's still time - you can find the link to our JustGiving page here. When the prison governor also told us of a need for rucksacks for people on release, we said that we would do our best to try and source some. Would you believe it, that very same day, we independently received a donation of 17 rucksacks straight to our office?! We were thrilled to be able to deliver these along with the Easter Gifts.

Please Pray

Please pray for the 400 women about to receive an Easter gift pack, that they will be filled with hope . Please pray for all of our mentees as they are starting out on a new life Please pray for solutions to be found for mentees who are seeking a place to live; finding accommodation is a tremendous hurdle for people leaving prison.

_{Posted: April 2023}