Lynda's story: "Volunteering for Pact has brought me so much"
I’ve always had a heart for families who find themselves facing difficult situations through no fault of their own. In a previous life I used to run a women’s refuge in Leamington. Life can take this kind of turn for any of us.
I’ve been volunteering at HMP Onley for around twelve years now, and with Pact for the last five. Over the years, I’ve come to see how much families cope with when a loved one is in prison. They’re often in their own prison, dealing with so much—travelling long distances, juggling work and childcare, arriving anxious or upset.
"Life can take this kind of turn for any of us."
One woman in her seventies travels from Essex every week to visit her husband. It’s such a long way, and they have lost so much since he’s been in prison, yet she keeps going. That steady commitment stays with you. And there are many like her—people doing their very best in hard circumstances.
The moments that stay with me
I volunteer every Thursday. I help book people in, explain how things work to first‑time visitors, and chat with people while they wait. A friendly person there to lighten a daunting experience makes a big difference. I often see the same people many times over and build up relationships.
There are moments and people that stay with me. A young boy once arrived to see his dad for only the second time in his life—he was shaking with nerves. We listened to him, and reassured him. Another time, a father wasn’t allowed in for his visit because he’d smoked cannabis beforehand. He was devastated. We made him a cup of tea, gave him a biscuit, and listened to him.
"A friendly person there to lighten a daunting experience makes a big difference."
Sometimes I help on family days – relaxed visits when families can move around more freely than on a normal visit, we provide crafts for them to do, play games and have other activities too. I love seeing the dads and granddads playing with their children and grandchildren. Every Christmas I organise collecting presents through the Mothers’ Union and my Church, which are given out by an officer from the prison who dresses up as Father Christmas. Watching dads collect gifts with their children is wonderful – a very special moment of normality for them both. The Mothers' Union also provided brand new bags so that men leaving prison can have something better than a disposable carrier to start their new lives with.
The hard times
Prison systems can be tough at times. Once, a grandmother travelled all the way from Coventry to see her grandson, only to find he’d been moved. I wanted so much to drive her home myself, but of course I couldn’t—that’s when you learn the boundaries of what you can and can’t do.
One of the hardest experiences I’ve had as a volunteer was seeing a young mum who used to bring her baby in. The baby was receiving palliative care, but she still made the journey so the child could see her dad. It was very sad, and it stayed with all of us. In times like that, the support among the Pact team really matters. We talk things through, look after one another, and carry things together.
"The support among the Pact team really matters. We talk things through, look after one another, and carry things together."
What volunteering has brought me
Volunteering with Pact has brought me so much. I won an award recently and went to the House of Lords with my daughter to receive it, which was a lovely experience.
It gives me purpose—something outside my everyday routine—and it’s something I truly look forward to. I’m 78 now, and my daughter has said she’ll drive me to volunteer if I ever can’t drive myself. That’s how much this means to me.
For anyone thinking about volunteering
If you’re considering volunteering with Pact, I’d say the most important thing is having a heart for people who are living through difficult circumstances. Compassion matters. So does the ability not to judge.
Volunteering doesn’t require too many special skills. Just kindness, steadiness, and a willingness to listen. The difference you make might seem small in the moment, but to the people you meet, it can mean far more than you realise.
