HM Prison Wakefield has recently welcomed its new ?Church of England ?chaplain the Revd Dr Tiffany Conlin, who has already spent over a month working in her new role at the biggest high security prison in the UK.
In her new position, Tiffany works as a part of the multi-faith Chaplaincy Department providing religious care to prisoners and staff in the Anglican tradition as well as providing appropriate pastoral care to those irrespective of faith.
Tiffany mentions, “An important part of my brief is to build contacts with my own faith community in the Wakefield area and across the Diocese.
“Enabling lay and ordained Christians from diverse parishes to visit and participate in the worship and spiritual development of prisoners will contribute significantly to their rehabilitation.”
Tiffany says, “After a few weeks in the post, I have been struck by the great sense of community at HMP Wakefield and the warm welcome I have received from staff and prisoners alike.
“It is a great privilege to be serving this closed and hidden community."
She explains, “One of the great joys of chaplaincy is the endless opportunities it presents to talk to people who, for one reason or another, rarely go to Church.
“I look forward to these conversations within the prison context and I also look forward to the conversations I will have with people who wish to learn more about what society can do to support the rehabilitation of offenders.”
Tiffany was appointed to the position in August and will be licensed by Bishop Tony on the 15th December.
She has been ordained for ten years and spent most of her ministry in the Diocese of Ely.
Tiffany served as an assistant curate in Wisbech before gaining experience as a University chaplain and theological educator.
She studied theology at King’s College London and undertook her priestly formation at Westcott House in Cambridge.
Tiffany says, “While training for ordained ministry I was introduced to prison chaplaincy through a placement at HMP Belmarsh and thought that I might explore this area of ministry when I had gained some more experience.
“Recent work with a community mental health team and in hospital chaplaincy prompted me to renew that initial interest in prison chaplaincy.”
HMP Wakefield was originally built as a house of correction in 1594 and ?is now a male prison with over 700 prisoners in security categories A and B.
Most prisoners are engaged in purposeful activity from Monday to Friday, including education, offender behaviour courses and jobs in appropriate workshops in order to support their rehabilitation.
The prison houses a Close Supervision Centre (CSC) – a small therapeutic centre aiming to provide a supportive, safe, structured and consistent environment for some of the most challenging offenders.