The Liverpool 2025 Prisons Week Lecture

Organised by the Liverpool Diocesan Council for Social Aid (LDCSA), Adelaide House Female Approved Premises, the Diocese of Liverpool, and Liverpool Cathedral, and forming part of the Prisons Week of Prayer, this 'In conversation' style lecture is of particular interest to those impacted by, working in, or concerned with, the criminal justice system, and arts based rehabilitation, especially those working with women and their families.

This year's event includes a dinner and our keynote 'In Conversation' style lecture.

We are delighted to welcome Victoria Gillies, CEO of Fine Cell Work who, in conversation with Revd Canon Dr Ellen Loudon, Liverpool Diocesan Director for Social Justice, will explore the role of charities in providing successful and meaningful rehabilitation services to people in prison and prison leavers.

According to the Prison Reform Trusts' response to the Justice Committee’s inquiry on Rehabilitation and resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending – January 2025 (1), reconviction rates within a year of release remains high—42% for all prison sentences and 59% for those serving short sentences of less than 12 months (2). The total economic and social cost of reoffending stands at £18.1bn (3).

Around 1,700 voluntary organisations work within the criminal justice system, with much of this work aimed at support rehabilitation, resettlement and ultimately desistance from crime. Fine Cell Work (FCW) is one of those organisations, whose work motivates and empowers people in prison to rebuild their lives and non-criminal identities. Since 1997, they have been using needlework in their rehabilitative initiatives to help people in prison realise their potential and give them hope for a better future. Through their-post release programme, which began in 2017, they support people to stabilise and reintegrate after release.

FCW trains and pay prisoners to make beautiful, handmade products so they can gain work skills, develop creativity and save for themselves and their families. Their unique process boosts self-worth, instils accountability and fosters hope. Collaborating with designers to create one-of-a-kind, limited-edition products, they support prisoners and prison leavers to finish their sentences with the self-belief to rebuild independent, crime-free lives. Last year they supported 642 people in prison in 38 prisons. In 2025, FCW have expanded its work with women, opening a new workshop in a women's prisonFCW are unique as the only UK charity or organisation providing paid, professional, high-quality craft opportunities to people in prison.

1. https://prisonreformtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PrisonReform-Trust-evidence-to-the-Independent-Sentencing-Review-2024-to-2025.pdf
2. Ministry of Justice. (2024). Proven reoffending statistics: January to March 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-january-to-march-2022
3. Newton, A., May, X., Eames, S. and Ahmad, M. (2019). Economic and social costs of reoffending. Ministry of Justice

'In conversation' Lecture speaker - Victoria Gillies

Victoria, a New Zealand born solicitor, has worked in the charity sector for 25 years. She ran production and outreach programmes for 10 years for children’s ballet companies before joining the London Children’s Ballet in 2010 as the Development Director. Her experience in managing large groups of volunteers, performances, fundraising initiatives and community programmes led to her appointment as Executive Director of Fine Cell Work in 2013. Moving an organisation that had grown organically over 15 years, to the professional, well-funded charity it is today, supporting increasing numbers of men and women in prison each year and now supporting prison-leavers, is down to her leadership and vision.

Location: Liverpool Cathedral

6pm – Dinner, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott Suite

7.30pm - 'In Conversation' style Lecture, Concert Room - entry via SGGSS

As this event forms part of the Prisons Week of Prayer, prior to the dinner, attendees are invited to join the Cathedral's short Evensong service at 5.30pm.

If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact admin.ldcsa@ldcsa.org.uk

For information on travelling and access to Liverpool Cathedral see visit Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool Diocesan Council for Social Aid vision is to see potential realised and hope restored for lives impacted by the criminal justice system. The charity, based in the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool, has been in operation for nearly 200 years, and today manages Adelaide House Female Approved Premises, coordinates the Liverpool Annual Prisons Week Lecture, and provides grant-making to other local non-profit organisations who share their vision.

Adelaide House Female Approved Premises, the main project of the Liverpool Diocesan Council for Social Aid, is situated in Liverpool and is one of only nine female approved premises in the country. The house provides residential support and interventions for up to 18 adult women completing their sentences. Management and staff at Adelaide House advocate a holistic, women-centred, needs-led approach to their work, which includes enhanced supervision within a structured and supportive environment. During 2020, and in recognition of the challenges faced by residents in securing suitable move-on accommodation, the charity set up a Move On Project as part of the work of Adelaide House. The project provides both advice and practical support to residents including sourcing appropriate properties, helping with accommodation deposits, and providing starter packs.

Prisons Week of Prayer - For nearly 50 years, Prisons Week has prepared prayer literature to enable the Christian community, through individuals and churches, to pray for the needs of all those affected by prisons: prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities, those working in the criminal justice system and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons.

Prisons Sunday – the second Sunday in October – marks the beginning of the week of prayer each year, running through until the following Saturday.