Hardman Trust

11/05/2026

Good to see Napotheunion Magazine sharing the work of Hardman Trust and highlighting the challenges faced by people on long sentences.

Long sentences can bring profound isolation, disconnection and uncertainty about the future. Through practical support, including penfriend schemes, financial grants and resettlement support, we help people prepare for release and rebuild stable lives in the community.

We’re pleased to see growing recognition of the importance of long-term rehabilitation and sustained support beyond the prison gate.

The Hardman Trust supports people serving long prison sentences through penfriend schemes, financial grants and resettlement programmes.

23/04/2026

For many people leaving prison following a long sentence, self-employment is not just an ambition but a necessity. With criminal records, gaps in employment history, and employer stigma limiting access to paid work, starting a business can offer a rare route to independence, income, and stability.

16/04/2026

We were pleased to welcome former Board member His Honour John Samuels KC, who recently met with our CEO, Annette So.

During his visit, he kindly shared copies of his book, Mentor and Monitor: A Role for the Judge, which draws on his extensive experience to explore how judges can support rehabilitation through mentorship and ongoing engagement.

It is a thoughtful contribution to ongoing conversations about justice, rehabilitation, and long-term change, all of which are closely aligned with our work.

A small number of copies are available; if you are interested, please email [email protected]

11/03/2026

The Hardman Directory helps people in prison find trusted services that offer advice, training, housing support, and more.

Explore the digital directory here- https://lnkd.in/ewp8CTbF

18/12/2025

Hope doesn’t happen by accident.

The Prison Reform Trust’s new report reinforces a key truth: people serving long sentences need hope, meaning, and realistic pathways forward.

At the Hardman Trust, we support people on long sentences by improving access to information and services that help them prepare for release through our penfriends scheme, Hardman Directory, and employability grants.

Find out how we support people on long sentences to reach their potential by clicking the link in the comments.

Sustaining hope and meaning is a “lifeline” that enables people on long sentences to progress and engage positively with the prison regime, a new report from the Prison Reform Trust’s Building Futures programme reveals.

15/12/2025

With so much information in one place, the Hardman Directory helps people preparing for release find the support they need.

If you are, or know someone, planning to return to the community, check it out via the link in the comments.

Are you a service supporting people on release? Contact [email protected] to be included in the directory.

05/12/2025

Every year, more than 2,000 people begin their lives again after long sentences. Hardman Trust stands alongside them, offering support as they work towards their goals in education, employment, and wellbeing, and towards a future they choose for themselves.

If you’d like to help us continue this work, please click the link in the comments.

22/10/2025

Fewer than one in five people leaving prison are in employment after six weeks (just 19.3%). A laptop helps open the door to studying, job searching, and connection.

06/10/2025

“Hope shouldn’t end with a sentence.”

A new report shows that many long-term prisoners in Scotland are left waiting years to move forward, trapped by delays and a lack of opportunity.

At Hardman Trust, we believe in dignity, fairness and the opportunity to move forward. Every day, we provide small grants, pen-friend connections and guidance to help people prepare for release and rebuild with dignity.

Because a small act of support can change a life.

Read more: Scottish Legal News article - https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/report-long-term-prisoners-in-scotland-left-without-hope?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=auto_share

A new report from the Prison Reform Trust, developed through a prisoner-led consultation at HMP Glenochil, calls for urgent reforms to restore hope for men serving very long-term sentences in Scotland’s prisons.  Drawing on surveys and focus groups with prisoners, the report reveals syste

29/08/2025

Thank you, Garfield Weston Foundation, for your generous grant🌟

We're incredibly grateful for the support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, which will help us to continue our work with long-term prison leavers.

With this incredible grant, we’ll be able to:

🔸 Strengthen our infrastructure, giving us the stability to plan and deliver more effectively

🔸 Increase our reach, so we can support more people serving long sentences

🔸 Help us raise the voices of those with lived experience, ensuring they are heard inside and beyond prison

We’re grateful for this partnership; it enables us to plan for the future and support more people in unlocking their potential.