Stained glass reformed prisoner

VISITORS to the chapel in Bullwood Hall Prison near Rayleigh, whether they live or work at the prison or come in from outside, often comment on the warm atmosphere and sense of peace which touch and surround them as they enter the Chapel.

This is not due to the room itself, which is in a corner carved out of the dining room, but to the ongoing
prevalence of prayer within the room, from the life sentenced women and young female offenders who used to reside at the prison to the male foreign national prisoners who now live there, not to mention the chaplaincy staff who engage in regular prayer for all connected with the prison.

The feeling of calm is also partially due to the stained glass ‘windows' depicting the Creation. They are not of course real windows, as the windows of the chapel are standard narrow barred, prison issue, but six huge panels of stained glass, lit from behind, three on each side of the room, filling the chapel with colour and life.

They were made by a prisoner from Chelmsford Prison and so provide a continuing link between the two prisons in the diocese. They stand as witness to the potential for reform and hope given to all who spend time in our prisons.

Whilst the artist was on remand at HMP Chelmsford awaiting trial for a year, he started sketching pencil pictures to break the boredom and pass the time. It was a very worrying and stressful period for him but, encouraged by two art teachers at the prison education department, he started to use colour in his drawings which brought back comforting memories of drawing as a child and proved a helpful way of coping with frustration and stress. His artwork improved rapidly ashe was keen to get on with the next picture, and the next, until it evolved into a full-time hobby, all day until lights out. The time passed really quickly until it was time to go to court - but then he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

Two weeks later, one of the art teachers asked him if he could design six stained glass panels for a women's prison chapel and after a few discussions about subjects, they chose the ‘Six Days of Creation'. He obtained a copy of the Bible, read about the creation of the world and started designing and sketching the blueprints.

In his own words: "As a child, I saw the world as a nasty, evil and tough place and even as an adult this feeling didn't leave me. So I thought about how the world was before man and woman were put upon our mother earth. It had to be beautiful and peaceful: a paradise, which I've always wished it could be again, with fantastic colours and beauty. In the first panel the Lord said ‘Let there be light'.
The problem was how to keep the light going, as there was no sun, moon or stars until the fourth day.

"I remember as a child my mother liked crystal glasses and animals made out of crystal. Well, these
crystal objects used to throw out rainbows when the sun's rays hit them. So I decided to use a crystal ball, with the Lord's hands throwing lightning bolts hitting it, and a rainbow forced out of the crystal, thus lighting a planet covered in water and the ground under the surface, with beautiful colour surrounding the planet.

I thought ‘It's going to work!' Therefore I continued with the next picture and the next. They seemed to flow out of my mind and I felt good, for once in my life. I was at peace with myself even though I had a lot of regrets about my crime.

"How could I, as a human being, have hurt another human? I'm really sorry for what I had done and yet this gift, which I don't deserve, was rapidly getting better. Anyway, I designed all six panels in four days."

The prisoner started making the first stained glass panel, but was then transferred to another prison.
However, he was able to complete the project there and says that without the three art teachers and the panels, he would not have coped with his sentence.

"It was very therapeutic and relaxing and I enjoyed every square inch of them. My confidence has grown and I'm now into oils and other media. I love the arts so much, I would like to go to university and do a degree and possibly start my own business in stained glass. It's all down to three excellent teachers who I will never forget for the rest of my life. They gave me the chance to correct my life and they gave me self esteem and confidence and also hope. I will never disappoint them and especially I won't let myself or society down ever again."

Revd Annie Dixon, the co-ordinating chaplain at Bullwood Hall Prison, said: "I have never met the man
who designed and made the stained glass panels, but the story of the panels, in his own words, is on display in the chapel vestry and the panels in the chapel speak for themselves. The God who created us and loves us so much that he dwelt on the earth among us promises redemption and a fresh start to all. Many of our foreign national Christians really struggle in their search for forgiveness but whilst they are with us, we seek to support them as they try to turn their lives around and look to a better future.

"We would like to be able to give each Christian a Bible to study while they are here and take with them when they leave, either in English or in their own language if their English is not good. If any individuals or churches are able to help by donating Bibles, I would be delighted to hear from them. Please consider us when thinking about outward giving, as the simple gift of a Bible can make such a difference to individuals' lives."

Annie can be contacted at the Chaplaincy Department, HMP Bullwood Hall, High Road, Hockley,
Essex SS5 4TE, telephone 01702 562928 or email annie.dixon@hmps.gsi.gov.uk

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