‍

Pact (The Prison Advice and Care Trust) was founded in 1898 as the Catholic Prisoners' Aid Society. The team at Pact work closely with Bishop Richard in his role as the Liaison Bishop for Prisons on behalf of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW). The charity supports people of all faiths and none but continues to be inspired and shaped by its roots in the Catholic Church.

‍

Pact CEO Andy Keen-Downs has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours list for services to prisoners and their families. Andy (pictured second from left with Bishop Richard) has been CEO of the organisation for almost 20 years, and has been at the forefront of work to improve the lives of people caught up in the criminal justice system. Speaking about the CBE, Andy said:

‍

“This award is recognition of everyone who has worked tirelessly to put families at the heart of how our criminal justice system works.

“By working with HM Prison and Probation Service, voluntary sector friends, philanthropists, and others, we have transformed the landscape – services for prisoners and families today are unrecognisable from those available two decades ago. Together, we have developed Visitors’ Centres, pioneered new ways for prisoners to maintain family relationships, and created packages of support for children with parents in prison.

“It has been a privilege to have played a part in this change... But we are just getting started. There is so much more we need to do to reduce offending, to keep prisoners’ children safe, and to help families thrive."

‍

Pact has grown substantially in the two decades that Andy has been CEO, from a small charity to one that supports hundreds of thousands of people every year, providing services right around the country. You can find out more on Pact's website.