Langley House Trust is delighted to have won second prize in a Clinks photograph competition.

Clinks, the national umbrella body for voluntary charities working in the Criminal Justice sector, launched the competition in November.

They wanted to show the resilience of charities in the Criminal Justice system and the people they worked with.

Clinks was looking for a new and interesting way to share and promote the huge scope of the voluntary sector’s work in Criminal Justice.

Speaking about the competition, Clinks’ Communications Officer, Rhi McLean, said:

“Our judges thought [Langley’s] was a fantastic photo and a brilliant runner up. Well done Langley House Trust! This portrait is wonderfully expressive and this man’s life embodies resilience. It is a picture that reflects a story full of optimism and overcoming the odds.”

Speaking about the picture, Samantha Graham, Head of Communications for Langley, said:

“Jonathan has had to show remarkable resilience in his life. Growing up, he faced the early death of his mother and a troubled childhood, compounded by learning disabilities and mental health issues. This led to a life of alcoholism, homelessness, criminal convictions and being in institutions for almost all his life.

“Jonathan has been with Langley for over 10 years now and is proud to call the project his home. Langley is a place where Jonathan has been able to develop his self-esteem and confidence. He takes pride in working in the gardens on a daily basis and has pet chickens that he looks after with care and attention. He reached a milestone at the age of 62, when he cooked his first ever hot meal!

“Jonathan has demonstrated that it is never too late to build a happy life. He has shown remarkable resilience to overcome loneliness, despair, alcohol abuse and a life of crime to live crime-free and positively in his community.”

First prize in the competition went to Khulisa, a charity which works with young adults and children in schools, prison and the community to help them understand and tackle the root-cause of their challenging behaviour. Their picture helped to challenge pre-conceived notions, contrasting thoughtful words on paper with public stereotypes of prisoners.

Clinks has been focusing on the theme of resilience throughout 2017. Earlier this year it launched its 2016-17 Annual Review entitled Resilience: Supporting a Resilient Voluntary Sector Working in Criminal Justice.

To read more about the Clinks photograph competition, click here.