An initiative designed to stop prisoners from offending again after they are released from jail has been launched in Shropshire.

It was launched at HMP Shrewsbury yesterday.

The Fresh Start, New Beginnings initiative is a community chaplaincy scheme which organisers say will work with prisoners as they approach release and help them to find housing, jobs and continuing support in the community.

Gerry Hendry, governor at the prison, said: “We know that people who are released from prison with all the support mechanisms in place have a much better chance of remaining crime free and leading full and useful lives in society. We believe they deserve a chance.”

The Reverend Richard Kirby, chairman of the Mercian Trust, the Diocese of Lichfield’s social action charity, handed over a cheque for almost £35,000 to support the project.

The Reverend Bob Wiltshire, chaplain of Shrewsbury Prison, said: “This is an opportunity for people to turn away from crime; to come back and be useful members of society.

“But it’s also an opportunity, not just for the perpetrators of crime but also victims of crime and communities to have an involvement in bringing people back to where they should be.Ê

“Safer communities is what we are all about. The only way we can do that is by working with and encouraging people through employment, having somewhere to live and through being mentored and supported on release through prison.

“The single most important thing for us is that the communities have an opportunity here to make their communities safer by working with those on the inside and helping them not go back out and commit more crime.

“If we are able to reduce crime in England and Wales by ten per cent, we will save £1 billion.”