About

Our History

Change for Good Community Chaplaincy Limited (CfG) was established as a registered charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in 2012 under its original name of Wandsworth Community Chaplaincy Trust. Now known as Change for Good, CfG is volunteer a mentoring charity that supports prisoners (our “members”) before and after release as they resettle in London. CfG is a faith-based charity that works with people of all faiths and none. We are an active member of the Community Chaplaincy Association (CCA), a wider network of organisations that share a similar ethos and aims.

Initially, the charity was set up by a resettlement chaplain as a small project to serve those leaving HMP Wandsworth. Since 2020 CfG has expanded to work as a pan-London charity, in 3 additional prisons: HMP Wormwood Scrubs, HMP Brixton and HMP Ford (an open prison in Sussex that sends many men back to London). Over the last decade CfG has developed a strong reputation across HM Prison service, Probation offices and third sector charities for going the extra mile with advocacy and support to secure positive outcomes for our members. The strength of CfG’s work lies in the support provided by our volunteer mentors; peer support among our members; and our partnerships with charities and services across the criminal justice sector that enable our members to access the support they require to overcome diverse and complex barriers.

Our Team

Josh Brettell - CEO

Josh joined Change for Good in September 2019 and has been working to support people leaving prison in London for over 7 years. He has previously been involved with facilitating restorative justice courses, running mentoring and resettlement programmes, and delivering case work across multiple prisons. Josh is currently completing a MSc in Criminology and believes in small/local communities providing a space for belonging and growth for those lacking opportunities.

Stephen Wait - Senior Case Manager

Stephen has over 10 years’ experience working with prison leavers. While studying for his degree in Criminology he volunteered as a prisoner befriender with a Kent based charity. From there he began his career in a residential rehab facility and went on to manage the project he used to volunteer for. Stephen has been working at CfG since 2020. As well as his passion for helping people, Stephen is an avid supporter of West Ham and enjoys travelling.

Lorraine Lewis - Case worker Lorraine joined the CFG team in November 2022 and has worked in various roles supporting prisoners and their families for 25 years. Her first role was as a volunteer in the visitors centre at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, supporting the friends and families who were visiting. Lorraine has since worked in various positions across different prisons during her long career, including as a drug and alcohol worker, working in first night in custody and supporting people in prison maintain contact with their families.

Rebecca Gascoigne – Volunteer Coordinator

Rebecca joined Change for Good in February 2024 and is delighted to commence her career in criminal justice, having come from elsewhere in the legal sector. Her background is in advocacy and member engagement and she has just embarked upon a MA in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. During her undergraduate studies, she directed a policy group campaigning for contraceptive justice, leading a team of over 60 volunteers. Driven by her passion for transformative justice, Rebecca is enthusiastic about developing Change for Good's volunteer programme and increasing community engagement in this new role.

Our Trustees

Barbara Maughan - joined the Board of CfG in January 2016. She has acted as Treasurer, and is now Chair. After a short period in social work she has worked as an academic for many years, researching issues including childhood conduct problems, juvenile delinquency and crime. She is a past trustee of charities providing mediation services and educational provision for young people with emotional/behavioural difficulties.

Rosalind Hallifax volunteered to take over bookkeeping responsibilities for CfG following her semi retirement as a lawyer and became a director and trustee in April 2020. She has had many years experience as a church treasurer and PCC member, and is also trustee of other charities. She is interested in resolving the problems of homelessness including those of former prisoners.

Revd Allison Waterhouse Is a founding member of the WCCT Board in 2012. While working as the Resettlement Chaplain in Wandsworth Prison she was its initiator. She worked previously as the Wormwood Scrubs Community Chaplain building up its first volunteer group of mentors. She is now researching the spirituality of Christian Prisoners.

Stephen Breslin joined the Board of CfG in May 2020, having been a volunteer mentor since 2017. His background in investment banking and corporate communications. As an adviser, he has counselled the boards and management of numerous major companies and has held leadership roles at both international companies and advisory firms. He is a past adviser to a national youth mentoring charity.

Revd Naomi Oates is a Methodist minister serving in the North Kent Circuit. She first came into contact with CfG as part of a placement with HMP Wandsworth's chaplaincy team during her ministerial training, during which she became committed to ministry in prisons as a vital facet of the Church's mission. She was appointed a trustee in October 2018. She is also interested in the need to ensure safe and secure housing for those leaving prison.

Richard Northridge joined CfG as a volunteer mentor in 2020 and became a trustee in 2022. He has worked in financial services in London since graduating. He has previously engaged with charities supporting Young Carers and also those who are impacted by HIV Aids.

Stuart Blakley was appointed as a Trustee of CfG in May 2020. He has volunteered as a mentor for the Charity since 2018. Stuart also volunteers at a men’s prison in London. He is passionate about the need to support people leaving prison and settling back into the wider community.

Our Impact

As of January 2024 we are launching a new database tracking actions and outcomes relevant to each of our specific services to help capture all the work we do in supporting prison leavers. The database will cover ‘pathway’ assessments, reimprisonment rates, aspects of emotional wellbeing such as positive self-image and hope for the future, along with details of our activities and specialist services that members have accessed.