March 2025 Lunch

This month our Chairman Norman Rodda was pleased to welcome our after lunch speaker Jean Watson to tell us all about the nearby Banstead Prisons.

Jean is a long term volunteer for Prison Fellowship in Banstead's two prisons and spoke on problems and opportunities locally and nationally

• 80,000 men and 3000 women in prison with 2000 men and 350 women in Banstead. Many women are caught up in their partners crimes or trafficked into crime.

• Jean spoke on the many charities improving prison life including the Clink restaurant locally (Jean had a special 70th anniversary meal there -everyone needed passports and a clean record).

• The problems of boredom, inadequate work, reoffending levels and drug imports by drone etc were addressed.

• Jean took a spirited series of questions and Kevin Shears recollected  her last  talk to Cheam Probus back in 2012 so perhaps we look forward to another in 2038!

• Many thanks Jean for a most informative and thought provoking talk.

  
  

  Bill Scott, Speakers Secretary