'I want prisoners to know they are not lost forever'

A prison chaplain has said how he wants to offer inmates the opportunity to seek forgiveness.

Alex Day, who works at a Surrey prison, said his job is to "walk alongside prisoners... to help them overcome the challenges of being in prison".

"If I commit a crime and go to jail... that does not mean I should be lost forever," he said.

Day, an Anglican, told the BBC his work in the prison largely involves face-to-face conversations with prisoners.

"You talk to [them] and hear their stories and very quickly realise that they are just like you and me.

"Some of them have done something that is absolutely heinous, which is immoral in lots of ways."

"Most have just made silly mistakes, bad choices in life... and done stupid things.

While inmates still needed to pay the punishment, Day said chaplains aimed to give prisoners "some pastoral care".

"We get often called to people who are very feeling anxious and concerned."

"A lot of things happen when you are in prison like birthdays, births or anniversaries that prisoners can feel isolated from."

"When you're stuck in a cell for a long time you can dwell on these things probably more than you do on the outside - and you need a release from that."

Other times, Day said prisoners are just having a really bad day or struggling with tough childhood memories.

"We're not counsellors, but we do offer a listening ear."

"As long as there are no safeguarding concerns and no one is at harm's risk, a prisoner can pretty much open up and tell us all they can," Day said.

"They can't be vulnerable with each other."

"We provide a space where prisoners can come and be vulnerable."

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