Sussex Pathways has been honoured with The Queens Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK....

What a mix of emotions summer brings. Many of us are loving the hot sunshine, the long days, and the warm evenings, while at the same time feeling concerned about the lack of rain and wondering when it will finally arrive. The last summer I remember being quite like this was in 1976 (yes, I am that old!), and it stretched into an Indian summer well into October and November. I was recently talking with my 13-year-old granddaughter, whose favourite season is autumn. She can't

As I prepare to leave Sussex Pathways and begin a new chapter in my career, it feels like the right time to reflect on what has been an incredibly rewarding journey. I joined Sussex Pathways in October 2024, and, from the very beginning, I was given opportunities that challenged me, inspired me, and helped me grow both personally and professionally. One of the highlights of my time here was working alongside a colleague to establish the Kintsugi course at HMP Lewes. As the

Niamh Noakes is to be recognised and commended for her caring nature and going above and beyond to support Prisoners on release. Whilst going about her work in HMP Lewes seeing other clients, she came across another Prisoner who needed support that had not been referred to us as Adult Social Care were involved in supporting him, or so it was thought! Below is her explanation of the situation. "Met Mr A this morning whilst seeing another client. During our conversation, i

Every year we welcome social work students from the University of Sussex to complete a placement with us. It is a real highlight of the year to see both to see their confidence grow over the course of the placement but also to gain fresh perspectives on the work that we do. Last month we received a letter of thanks from Karen Okuefuna-Budd, Director of Practice Learning at the University of Sussex, which highlighted the impact that these placements have on the student's learn

One of the most powerful moments from our recent Kintsugi course at HMP Lewes came from a client who, at the outset, was very reluctant to take part in the process. He found the idea of deliberately breaking the object difficult and shared that he didn’t want to damage something that was he had taken time and care to create. With encouragement and support from the group, he chose to trust the process. After carefully breaking and then repairing his piece, he reflected: “Thi

It's been a really exciting couple of weeks for Sussex Pathways as we've recently picked up the keys to our new project, Inspirational House. It's also an exciting time for me personally, as I've been given the role of house manager. I'll be involved in setting up the project over the coming months and, once the accommodation opens, I'll be responsible for its day-to-day running and supporting residents as they begin their journey with us. The property is perfect for what we

We’re delighted to share another fantastic success story. A second SP client, supported by one of our wonderful volunteers through a referral, has successfully completed a Bridging Course. This achievement has opened exciting new opportunities, as they have now been offered a place at a local Sussex university to study for a degree in Creative Writing and History. As a prison leaver, this milestone represents not only academic success but a powerful example of positive rese

Welcome to our June update. As we continue to enjoy the recent warm weather, please remember to take appropriate precautions and look out for vulnerable individuals, particularly the young and elderly. May was a notable month for us. A key highlight was our visit to the Old Bailey in London to attend the Justice for All series, which focused on justice for prison leavers. The session was well attended and featured an insightful panel. Lord Timpson delivered a compelling speec

Summer, with all its promise of sunshine, is fast approaching. You might wonder what complexities come with summer, but for us it’s a familiar mix: holidays and school holidays, increasing demand on our services, and the challenge of balancing it all while still trying to enjoy the brighter days that lift everyone’s spirits. We’re heading into an especially busy and exciting period. We’re patiently awaiting the outcome of the CRS men’s contracts, and our House project is prog

Every year Sussex Pathways hosts social work students from the Step Up to Social Work programme for a spring placement. Here, three of the students from this year's cohort share their thoughts and feedback on their experiences. Jodie My name is Jodie, and I am a social work student on the Step Up programme. I am currently completing a 70-day placement with Sussex Pathways. This placement has met none of my expectations — it has been harder, more intense, and more illuminating

Here , two of our team (Vicky Waller Project Manager and Neal Allistone Specialist Delivery Officer), take a look at two of our service offerings in action: Through the Gate support and restorative justice. Through the Gate Volunteer George supported a prison leaver throughout 2024, helping him take a significant step back into education by enrolling on a bridging course, with the aim of progressing on to a degree. At the time, the client was experiencing quite severe anxiety

A young woman working alone in a betting shop in Brighton was robbed. The young man who robbed her grabbed the collar of her jacket and forced her into the staff area. She fell to the floor, he pulled her top up, then took £210 from her pocket. He had also taken £105 from the cashier’s drawer. The young man was sentenced to three years in prison and has spent almost all of that time in HMP Lewes. A referral for Restorative Justice was received from the young woman who wanted

This month has seen the best of the best with the ACEVOFest, two days of great speakers, interactions, and networking. A couple of things came to the forefront for me: one was equality, and if you look at the picture below, it highlights the importance of equality, both in our workplaces and in our lives. It captures multiple dimensions of equality and illustrates how we can and should address it at every level. The other thing was, as CEOs, we often feel that everything rest

Over the past month, we delivered a series of condensed 2.5‑hour Kintsugi workshops across Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton probation services, held during their women‑only drop‑in days. Although shorter than our full course, these sessions created a deeply meaningful space for reflection, creativity and connection. Exploring the Philosophy of Kintsugi We began by introducing the philosophy behind Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold. The women e

On 24 th March Karren (our Business Manager) and myself had the opportunity to attend ACEVOFest in Wembley. ACEVOFest is a festival of ideas, support and inspiration for charity CEO’s and aspiring CEO’s, where honest and open sharing allows for creation of a greater understanding of our roles in civil society. We had the opportunity to talk with exhibitors about supporting each other and collaborating to make the charity sector a stronger and better place for everyone and o

Close up photo of flowers and and grass.

We survived January storms and rains and now we look forward to what February has in store for us. While I can't predict the weather, I can predict exciting plans for Sussex Pathways as we enter the next stage of our housing project. We have had so much sound advice and guidance from many existing housing providers, and we cannot thank them enough. We must also give a huge thank you to Helen, our amazing volunteer, who has taken up researching and scoping for the project; her

Volunteer George supported a Sussex Pathways client following his release from HMP Lewes in May 2025 through to September 2025. A keen and talented artist, the prison leaver recently had one of his artworks selected for a major national exhibition curated by poet and playwright Inua Ellams. The piece, titled Yard View , was displayed as part of Koestler Arts: Night Owls and Abstractions , held at the Southbank Centre in London from Friday 31 October to Sunday 14 December 2025

I’ve been a mentor for Sussex Pathways for a year, and I’m very grateful to have an insight into the lives of those who have experienced things such as alcohol or substance abuse, engaged in criminal activity or have grown up in poverty. Grateful, because it has taught me one thing that many in society can forget - these people are still human. Just before Christmas I pulled over to a gentleman who was on the floor and visibly in pain. He was communicating with me but complai