‘I say it how it is and I say this with all honesty; I could not ask for better support than what I got from the support team while in prison and even more so now that I am released.’ 

- J, HMP The Mount resident 

My name is J, and I was an inmate at The Mount prison. While I was there, I had the opportunity to work with Redemption Roasters. This was one of the most important parts of my 17 years within the prison system. It gave me not only training in the coffee industry but also a better understanding of what the future could hold for me—if I was prepared to go out and get it.

Within Redemption Roasters, I found what I think of as a team of support workers. At my first meeting with them, I realised, just as I had with the team in The Mount, that they really cared. They weren’t just doing a job—they were genuinely interested in me, my life, and what I wanted from it. More importantly, they wanted to know how they could help.

At that point, my head was full of ideas about a million different things I could do if I was released. But release felt like a distant dream. My D-cat status had been taken away, and my sentence seemed indefinite. Even then, the support team kept me focused on life outside of prison. Every time they visited, I had the chance to talk to them, and after each meeting, I was left with a sense of hope for the future.

Time passed faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was at my next parole hearing. I couldn’t believe it when I was granted release—without D-cat, straight to freedom, in just a month. The support team sprang into action, making sure everything was in place for me. They arranged for someone to meet me at the gate on my release day.

If I had been left to my own devices, I would have been in a difficult situation. Instead, I was met at the gate, given a phone, taken to the local train station, and then on to London. Someone from the team stayed with me until my train arrived, and they waved me off. That might not seem like much to some people, but after 17 years inside, that moment could have been overwhelming. It was a time when I could easily have stumbled.

But the support didn’t end there—not by a long way. Since my release, there have been many phone calls, texts, and emails, all filled with encouragement and genuine interest in how I’m doing. They keep asking what more they can do to help.

I’m not one to hold back. I say it how it is, and I say this with complete honesty: I could not have asked for better support, both inside prison and now that I’m free. The team at Redemption Roasters—just like those who trained me in The Mount—have given me the motivation to be a better person, someone I and others can be proud of. They don’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk. They do what they say they will, and in my eyes, they are the perfect role models.

Now, just two months after my release, I’m in talks with two government agencies about opening a café near a prison. My goal is to provide support to others on their release day, just like I had.

I have so much to be grateful for. Even now, the team at Redemption Roasters are supporting me in this new venture. I could go on and on about what they’ve done for me, but the most important thing to say is: thank you Redemption Roasters.

To read the full Social Impact Report, click here.