​Kevin Downham, Prison Chaplain

Long Lartin Prison, outside Evesham, is one of eight high
security prisons in the UK which house the top 8% of
prisoners in terms of the severity of their crime/ length of
their sentence. It has just over 600 prisoners, many of
whom are serving over 10 years. 

Kevin Downham started as Managing Chaplain on
Easter Sunday 2014. He leads a team of 72 people in
the multi-faith chaplaincy, although there are only the
equivalent of five full-time paid posts. “Our team includes
representatives of all the major faiths and we have lots of volunteers who come in to
visit prisoners with no family and help with Sunday services.” Kevin says. “Every wing
of the prison is visited by a chaplain each day and prisoners can also make a written
application to see someone, or tell a member of staff if it’s urgent. In the first instance,
this will be a non-faith specific visit, whoever happens to be free at the time will go.” 

The services held by Kevin’s team vary between the Eucharist andServices of the Word.
On an average Sunday there will be between 20 & 25 prisoners attending. The major
festivals are celebrated, with 49 prisoners attending the ecumenical Ash Wednesday
service and there are bible studies, bereavement support and other activities on Friday
afternoons. The Chaplains also help with seven family days a year where prisoners
get to spend quality time with their children, playing games and doing craft and sport.
“This is an opportunity for the chaplaincy team to meet and build links with prisoners’
families. They all have my contact details so they can contact me if they have any
worries about a prisoner.” Says Kevin. 

Kevin is part of the Senior Management team at the prison: “which helps ensure that
there is a moral and ethical dimension to every decision made,” continues Kevin.
“Many prisoners claim some kind of faith and it’s also important that the chaplaincy
team provides pastoral care for the staff too.”

Please pray for Kevin and his chaplaincy team at Long Lartin, as well as for the
chaplaincy at HMP Hewell, near Redditch. 

Kingswinford Deanery – Rural Dean: Colin Jones, Lay Chair: Helen Jones 

Diocese of Rochester (USA): Bishop Prince Singh 

Diocese of Bristol: Bishop Michael Hill with Bishop Lee Rayfield (Swindon) 

Diocese of Helsinki (Finland), Bishop Irja Askola

About Diocese of Worcester - Prayer diary

​Kevin Downham, Prison Chaplain

Long Lartin Prison, outside Evesham, is one of eight high
security prisons in the UK which house the top 8% of
prisoners in terms of the severity of their crime/ length of
their sentence. It has just over 600 prisoners, many of
whom are serving over 10 years. 

Kevin Downham started as Managing Chaplain on
Easter Sunday 2014. He leads a team of 72 people in
the multi-faith chaplaincy, although there are only the
equivalent of five full-time paid posts. “Our team includes
representatives of all the major faiths and we have lots of volunteers who come in to
visit prisoners with no family and help with Sunday services.” Kevin says. “Every wing
of the prison is visited by a chaplain each day and prisoners can also make a written
application to see someone, or tell a member of staff if it’s urgent. In the first instance,
this will be a non-faith specific visit, whoever happens to be free at the time will go.” 

The services held by Kevin’s team vary between the Eucharist andServices of the Word.
On an average Sunday there will be between 20 & 25 prisoners attending. The major
festivals are celebrated, with 49 prisoners attending the ecumenical Ash Wednesday
service and there are bible studies, bereavement support and other activities on Friday
afternoons. The Chaplains also help with seven family days a year where prisoners
get to spend quality time with their children, playing games and doing craft and sport.
“This is an opportunity for the chaplaincy team to meet and build links with prisoners’
families. They all have my contact details so they can contact me if they have any
worries about a prisoner.” Says Kevin. 

Kevin is part of the Senior Management team at the prison: “which helps ensure that
there is a moral and ethical dimension to every decision made,” continues Kevin.
“Many prisoners claim some kind of faith and it’s also important that the chaplaincy
team provides pastoral care for the staff too.”

Please pray for Kevin and his chaplaincy team at Long Lartin, as well as for the
chaplaincy at HMP Hewell, near Redditch. 

Kingswinford Deanery – Rural Dean: Colin Jones, Lay Chair: Helen Jones 

Diocese of Rochester (USA): Bishop Prince Singh 

Diocese of Bristol: Bishop Michael Hill with Bishop Lee Rayfield (Swindon) 

Diocese of Helsinki (Finland), Bishop Irja Askola

About Diocese of Worcester - Prayer diary

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