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Langley House Trust

12% of our Mission Support giving goes to the Langley House Trust.  This aims to provide a secure, homely environment, based on Christian beliefs and values, to enable newly released prisoners to make the difficult transition back into the community. One of the Trust’s 15 projects is Wing Grange, in rural Rutland, where up to 20 male residents can be helped to address their offending behaviours whilst developing life and vocational skills. Among these are horticulture (produce is sold at weekly farmers’ markets in Oakham), decorating and information technology. Last year Iain Russell was appointed as national chief fund-raiser. We have close connections with prisons through Liz Waller and Richard Potter.

St. Peter's Contact: Vacancy

*Wing Grange is a residential Training Centre in Rutland, about 22 miles from Oundle.  It can accommodate 22 male residents, 20 in the main house and 2 in its move-on facility.  (A training centre caters for residents who, initially at least, need a high degree of support and who would otherwise be prone to re-offend.)  (Move-on accommodation enables residents to practise life skills in a safe environment before moving out into the community.)

*Although Wing Grange is helping to turn lives around, the work can be misunderstood – please pray for good community relations with our neighbours and with other organisations.

In the early days, we worked exclusively with male prison leavers who had no family or skills to secure employment on release. Nowadays we work with women as well as men, help those at risk of offending as well as prison leavers, have specialist drug rehabilitation provision as well as other projects and have recently extended our work to include the marginalised homeless ( who may not have a background of offending.

In the course of our life-changing work, we work in partnership with a wide range of organisations including the Ministry of Justice, the Probation Service, other voluntary sector groups, training providers and partner churches.

We help individuals to make a fresh start, assisting them to learn skills which will enable them to hold down a job and reintegrate into society, this has a beneficial effect on their relationships with family and others around them.

It is easy to turn away from this challenging and sometimes dangerous work, yet Jesus, our saviour offered a fresh start to the criminal crucified beside Him. The Bible tells us He showed love and concern for those on the margins of society, including those who had committed offences and those who had nowhere to live. We often forget that He made many such individuals His friends. Whilst Jesus did not ever condone the offence (and neither do we), He did offer acceptance, forgiveness and the possibility of a new beginning. In essence, surely that is what Christianity is all about?

Suggestions for intercessions June 2011

Guide the Trustees and Board of our mission, Langley House Trust as they continue to work within the Penal System to offer a second chance to those who have lost their direction in life, to those who have offended and who are at risk of offending – and guide them also in implementing their recent decision to also work with families and immediate communities associated with their client group.

We pray that the Trust will never forget the plight of victims of crime and that it will explore areas of reconciliation such as restorative justice as a medium for your healing hand.

We pray that you will bless the Trust’s work in the prevention of crime, rehabilitation of ex - offenders and reconciliation among families; that society will, as a result, be a safer place in which to live and that peace and love will mend the wounds opened by offending.

Grant the staff, O Lord, guidance and capability in their daily work with ex-offenders that they will be kept safe. May they trust in You at all times as they provide therapy, training and advice to those in need of a fresh start.

Be with those who have been in prison, who have now been released and who are living in the Christian fellowship of our mission, Langley House Trust.

Be with those who feel isolated because they have lost touch with their families.  Touch the hearts of relatives and friends that reconciliation will bring comfort, and peace and love will overcome bitterness and intolerance.

Help us to understand both the chaos that dominates the minds of many ex-offenders and the trauma that remains with the victims of crime. May families pull together through compassion to bring about tolerance, understanding, humility and endurance in the face of conflict, contention and confusion.

We thank you for our own families, Lord, and ask that You will be with those who have suffered from our broken society, that you will piece them together – a family once more.

Lord, be with all those being rehabilitated by Langley House Trust - may their history not be their destiny.

Be with all those who are associated with our mission, Langley House Trust. But in particular, be with the ex-offenders and their victims that the coming months will see progress made in restorative justice, families reconciled, and communities made safe. Help us to understand your teachings in respect of offending, suffering, forgiveness

and redemption – and may each of us play our part in making society a safer place through Bible study, prayer and witness.

We thank you, Lord, for Langley House Trust and commit its future to You.

Prayers & information taken from Langley House publications.