CHAPLAINS can be a godsend for those who end up in prison – helping them both spiritually and emotionally.

The chaplaincy team at HM Prison Isle of Wight offer regular Sunday services, pastoral care, Bible studies and help with bereavement issues, as well as helping to find prison visitors and pen pals.

Every Sunday there is a Eucharistic service in both chapels, on the Parkhurst site and on the Albany site, led by one of the two Anglican chaplains on site. Around 30 inmates attend each.

The prison chapels hold special services on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and around Christmas, and Bishop Jonathan is a regular visitor, especially around the major Christian festivals.

Along with colleagues from other denominations and other faiths, the chaplains can also provide support for prisoners with sick relatives, or on the day of a funeral of a loved one. And when prisoners die in prison, they can lead the funeral at the crematorium.

HMP Isle of Wight is one of the largest prisons in the country, with around 1,000 inmates overall. The Rev Judith Swaine has been a prison chaplain there for 11 years, having enjoyed a placement at Kingston Prison in Portsmouth when she was a curate at All Saints Church, Portsmouth.

“Chapel isn’t compulsory,” she said. “Those who come are those who want to come. Some of those in prison already had faith before arriving, some develop faith while they are here. People sometimes think that people in prison need faith more than those on the outside, but actually we all do.

“I enjoy it because every day is different. I’ve also always supported the ‘underdog’ in all sorts of situations, and I can see that prisoners aren’t all bad – there is some good in them. They often have compassion and understanding, and look out for each other.

“Prisons do need more money spent on them, but it’s rarely popular to say so. In fact, helping to rehabilitate prisoners is one of the most important ways to ensure there are fewer victims of crime in future.”

The chaplaincy team currently consists of one full-time imam, the two Anglican chaplains, and volunteers from other denominations and faiths. HMP Isle of Wight is still looking for a managing chaplain to take overall charge of the team.