“BLAST News from the Gate”...
“GATE News not FAKE News..!”
Quarter 1 – January/March 2020
Employability "Boot-Camp" at Nehemiah...
From the 6th January for four mornings we were privileged to deliver a 3rd employment "Boot Camp" for the residents, at Nehemiah.
We were blessed and welcomed 11 men onto the programme. With 9 making it through to the end, all were engaged and have an excellent chance of turning their lives around...away from their past addictive behaviours. Watch this space!
Please pray for Nehemiah, and their staff, they have a hard job. Prayers of thanks also for what has been achieved and for the best way forward...
TRANSFORM @ HM Prison Springhill...
In partnership with the MCT Nova resettlement team, BLAST will run our "BLAST Transform Programme" in full between 23rd March-3rd April 2020.
This is very exciting news and bolsters our credibility within the Prison community. Currently, we expect 7-9 men on this pilot programme (but as this is prison we may have 12!). We anticipate that things will work in the same way as previously; with 3-4 "Blue-Shirts" helping each day.
One of BLAST's great encouragers Ian McDowell, the Founder of "Tough Talk", who has attended each graduation, will again join us to share his story of encouragement with the men on graduation morning, on Friday 3rd April.
Please pray for this programme, particularly that we have the funds to run this programme, as we take a leap of faith without enough funds.
Terrorism/Radicalisation Issues…
With recent terrorist events in London still fresh in or minds, it is no wonder the Justice System has been under scrutiny about sentencing and radicalisation… This seems to be a key issue which is unlikely to go away!
BLAST’s trustees have prayerfully considered, how BLAST as a Christian resettlement charity should handle referrals of Terrorist/Terrorism and Radicalisation from within the prison or probation services.
After prayer, debate and discussion the conclusion arrived at is this: “BLAST has no experience or expertise in this complex area. Therefore, BLAST is NOT able to work with this section of the prison community or other HMPPS agencies.”
Please pray, for our trustees and our team, specifically that God’s is be done; “Love the Sinner not the Sin”!
"Heart4BLAST"
10th Anniversary Celebration: Friday 5th June, 2020 @ 7pm for 7.30pm.
This is an event which we never expected to achieve! Because the prison environment and justice system are so hard to work in at every level. But here we are despite my many incompetences, it never ceases to amaze me how God can use even me!
Allow me to personally and warmly invite you to join in the celebrations on Friday 5th June 2020, at Beaconsfield Golf Club. Ruth and I and our Trustees offer you the chance to be encouraged by the work that has been done and to know that without your support and prayers, time and financially this work would have failed. You will hear from some of our graduates and others who have been involved over the last 10 years. We will provide refreshments and sustenance and some great moments... more details will follow soon!
Meanwhile please pray for this exciting event...
An Additional Prayer request...
Part-Time Caseworker... We have reached a critical junction in the work we undertake and now need to employ a part-time case worker, to support our existing work and the ever increasing numbers of men moving about in the prison system and in the community.
Can you help us fund this exciting development. To provide this additional support we will need regular additional monthly donations. We will be recruiting from our pool of graduates, for this role. further details can be provided on request.
Please pray for this person and email: ralph.findlay@blastfoundation.org.uk
Blessing in Christ, from the prison gate…
Ralph & Ruth Findlay