Andre was in prison in the USA for 30 years. He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment, but this was unexpectedly commuted and he was deported back to the UK, where he had last set foot in 1977. With the help of our resettlement service, Andre has navigated the many challenges and complexities that deportation brings.

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As a child growing up in the USA, I struggled to make friends and often felt isolated. I didn’t express what I was experiencing at the time, not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t know how. I ended up involved with gangs, drugs, alcohol, and eventually in prison, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

I was already broken inside, emotionally and mentally, so surviving each day in prison was a huge challenge: tall walls topped with barbed wire; excessive use of force; racial tension and cultural clashes; negative peer pressure and bullying; inadequate medical services; and systematic, emotional and psychological oppression.

Amongst all this, however, I realised that something within me had to change. I slowly learned to cope with this brutal day-to-day existence and chose not to join the cycles of bullying and oppression by making some real adjustments to my mindset and decision-making. Having Prisoners Abroad in my corner, providing emotional support to me and my family, gave me a resilience I don't think I would otherwise have had.

You wouldn't believe how much optimism can be built around receiving a regular newsletter, handbooks and factsheets, a card at Christmas and on my birthday, and postage to keep in touch with my loved ones.

Then, my life sentence was unexpectedly commuted. This was unbelievable; my family and I had stopped dreaming this could ever happen. Following a torturous three-year wait and a hearing, I was finally granted parole after over 30 years in prison. The relief was so immense I can hardly describe it - but my imminent deportation brought a brand new set of challenges and anxieties.

All of my loved ones were in the US and I had left the UK in 1977 as a very small child; I didn’t remember anything about England, much less London. I had no idea what to expect when I landed in the UK, and faced the terrifying prospect of homelessness in a foreign capital city.

I landed at Heathrow Airport as a free man following my deportation. Prisoners Abroad provided an arrival pack containing a cell phone, hygiene items, and a London travel card, and they also paid for me to be housed in emergency accommodation so my first night out of prison would be spent in a bed, not on a bench. Having been in prison for so long, I had never used a smartphone and Google Maps was brand new to me; my resettlement officer must have anticipated this because she had kindly printed off the directions to my accommodation.

Being on the tube for the first time was incredibly uncomfortable; imagine being in prison for 30 years and 9 months, then getting straight onto a 9-hour flight, followed by an underground train packed with people. I reminded myself to breathe, that I had been in many intimidating situations before, and relied on everything I knew to cope with those thoughts and feelings.

A couple of days later I arrived at Prisoners Abroad’s office for a meeting with my resettlement officer. I can’t tell you the difference her involvement made. Before this meeting, everything felt so much harder and the days were a blur, but once she had advised me about what to expect, I felt a lot more in control of myself and the situation.

Prisoners Abroad removed the cloak of fear and concern that I felt. They offered a safe space and reassured me that their doors were always open - and they have been.

As well as emotional support to make the transition manageable, Prisoners Abroad helped me register with a GP so I could get much-needed medical help, and set up a bank account. They gave me a grant to purchase a duvet, sheets, pots and pans - basic necessities for where I was living to make life a little easier.

After I had worked through my first shellshocked months, I took part in the Work Preparation Programme. The coach made me feel so comfortable and reassured me that, no matter where you have been or what has happened, there will always be opportunities. We put together a CV and talked through an action plan, which helped give me direction I wouldn’t otherwise have found.

Sometimes, I still feel like I am going to lose my way because the pain of deportation is so overwhelming; the separation from my wife is particularly traumatic, but the advice that Prisoners Abroad offered about leaving loved ones behind and the impact of a deportation on the rest of the family has been hugely eye-opening and beneficial for us all. I know that help needs to come from within, but the support from Prisoners Abroad has always been just what I’ve needed in the moment. They really listened and responded to me and have helped me to move forward. Thanks to them, I haven’t lost sight of who I am and I’m still in touch with the people who mean the most to me - I speak daily to my mother, to my wife, and to wider family and friends.

The support of Prisoners Abroad was profound. It showed me that someone cared about my wellbeing, my family, and my future - as a prisoner, as a human being, and as a British citizen.

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Offering a guiding hand

Prisoners Abroad supports people who return to the UK after prison; we find them somewhere to stay, provide grants for food and travel, and help them take the vital steps to a new life.

Can you help to support our life-saving work by donating today?

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