On her 40th birthday, Lisa Newman was beginning an 18-month prison sentence for dealing drugs. Today, aged 52 and living in Gloucestershire, she’s a qualified addiction recovery coach, a public speaker, and a business owner. But back then, life felt completely out of control.
While in prison, Lisa came across The Prison Phoenix Trust, a charity that supports people in custody through the tools of yoga, meditation and spiritual connection. Since 1988, the charity has helped thousands of people in prisons across the UK and Ireland find calm, hope and self-belief in the most difficult circumstances.
Hear Lisa’s story on Life After Prison podcast
Lisa reached out to the charity and not long after, she heard from Caroline, a volunteer mentor. What started with a letter turned into a lifeline; made possible in part by people who leave gifts in Wills. Caroline offered encouragement and guidance by post, along with yoga books and CDs tailored to Lisa’s situation, all funded through the support that legacy giving helps to provide.
“She helped me practise yoga and meditation in my tiny cell. But more than that, she gave me emotional support,” Lisa says. “I could write about my guilt, my shame – and someone actually listened. It was the first time I felt heard and cared for in years.”
By The Prison Phoenix Trust CEO Selina Sasse