Brian Smith came to Rosegarth to give a talk on Storybook Dads. It was an excellent talk and a complete revelation. Brian brought things to life with interactive clips and we were able to fully appreciate the Dads and their situation. They are prisoners.
The Charity began at HMP Dartmoor and later moved to Channings Wood in Denbury. Prisoners are encouraged to keep a special link going with their family by using an editing and disc production service and this is on offer to 90 UK prisons. This idea has now spread to prisons worldwide. Dads are helped to record bedtime stories with the addition of music, sound effects and chat. The discs are sent to their children who can listen to them over and over. Some prisoners have been trained up and are employed to work on various projects. The scheme has a powerful effect for good which is sorely needed.
Once again statistics are distressing – Each year in the UK over 200,000 children suffer when a parent is put behind bars. It is not just Dads of course, there are Storybook Mums in several women’s prisons and the idea has spread to the Armed Forces.
We wish good luck, good donations and good volunteers to the Storybook Dads Charity.
Linda Churchward