June 11th 2015

Concerning Captives
Ann Stevens

Concerning Captives is a book written by Ann Stevens and describes her prison ministry. This warm and open-hearted lady talks about her book and how she became involved in such an unusual correspondence.

See Ann's website.

Review of the evening - Ann initially watched a programme called '14 days in May' which chronicled the last two weeks of a prisoner on Death Row's life. It had a big impact on her and she wanted to find out what she could do to help. She joined an organisation called Lifelines and started writing to prisoners in America. It took her a lot of courage to post her first letter but since then has written to over 20 men on Death Row. She visited for the first time in 2002 for 5 days and has been going every year since. This year she went for 5 weeks so that she had time to visit every one. She fundraises throughout the year to finance her trips. She had many funny stories, some sad, even though we have to remember these men are murderers. Her first penfriend arrived home to find his wife in bed with someone else so he shot them both! She also spends time with women at the Peterborough Women's Prison and works for the homeless in Northampton.

 
Ann with her pen friends 

Competition - Correspondence
The Winner of the competition produced a selection of letters written by herself to her hospitalised mother when she was 5 years old. In second place was a selection of letters written by the member's husband to her during the year before they got married when there were no mobile phones, emails, not even a private landline so phone boxes and letters were the only means of communication!. Third equal were the owner of a special pen given on her passing the 11+ and a card received by a member from a 5year old neighbour.