Tag Archives: Bedford Row Family Project

A FUNDING shortfall is threatening the work of Bedford Row Clare, a project designed to help prisoners to avoid reoffending. The most recently available figures, dating to 2019, show there were 124 people in prison with Clare addresses, with many more people affected by the imprisonment of family members. While the need remains consistently high, the Bedford Row project, which has an office at Centrepoint Business Park in Ennis, has seen its staffing and funds reduced since the onset of the pandemic. “We had a full-time worker supported by part-time volunteers, as well as resources from our founders, the Bedford Row Family Project in Limerick,” outlined Frank Gunter, a retired Garda Superintendent. “We now have one part-time staff member only, working to respond to the needs of people in prison and their families. The pandemic has made their situation more complex and it’s a very challenging time for them.” Mr Gunter, who is the chairperson of Bedford Row Clare and …

PARTEEN native, Larry De Cleir is a man of many parts. A psychotherapist, who spent two decades in the Irish army, he is also a talented singer-songwriter, whose work ranges from personal reflections to commentary on politics and society. With a CV like that, his retirement is probably set to be a fairly active one. The role of retiree is one that Larry is still getting used to having signed off, just last week, after a 13-and-a-half year stint as Project Leader with Bedford Row, an initiative that supports prisoners and families in Clare and Limerick. “I was involved with the project for a long time before that,” he explains. “I was counselling and getting clients from the project. Before that, again, I was involved, in very early days meeting workers with the Hospitality Centre in Limerick Prison, where the project started up. I was aworking with South Hill Outreach and we had a step-down [service] going on, so I …

PRISONERS being released during the Covid-19 crisis are facing “a completely alien world,” according to representatives of a support group in Clare. The nature of the lockdown, combined with the new public health guidelines, mean huge changes to society and additional hurdles for those trying to reintegrate after serving a custodial sentence. Patrick Talty, who is a Project Worker with the Clare branch of Bedford Row, which supports those detained at Limerick Prison and their families, said getting one’s life back on track has become far more difficult than in pre-Covid times. “Even someone who may have served a short sentence of three or four months will find that the world has changed dramatically,” Mr Talty said. “When it comes to accessing services like housing and medical care, the normal routes have changed. For someone who is homeless after coming out of prison, the experience is extremely frustrating and scary That’s not to criticise, in any way, those who provide …

The Lord goes in search of us; to all of us he stretches out a helping hand. [Jesus] comes to save us from the lie that [says] no one can change. He helps us to journey along the paths of life and fulfilment. Pope Francis to prisoners, Philadelphia, September 27, 2015 THE Redemptorists and Bedford Row Family Project, who support families affected by imprisonment, will be working together this year to enable prisoners and their families join in celebrating Limerick’s Novena. The focus of the novena is family life. Healing the hurt brought about by imprisonment in a family can take time, a lot of listening, understanding, and a belief that everyone has the potential to change. To this end there will be a special novena celebration at the Bedford Row Project on this Friday afternoon, the first day of the novena. Masses in the prison on Sunday will be celebrated as part of the novena. Members of the novena …