Volunteer transforms lives of illiterate prisoners

Sarah Pender coached inmates in her spare time alongside primary school teaching

A woman who has spent 13 years volunteering in a prison literacy scheme says that once offenders can read, they start to believe in their future.

Sarah Pender, from Devizes in Wiltshire, trains literate inmates to teach those who can not read, through the Shannon Trust.

The recently retired primary school teacher has now been nominated in the BBC Radio Wiltshire's Make a Difference Awards. She said the scheme was important because 70% of the prison population had reading issues.

"You really see people going from being complete non-readers to actually believing they've got a future – because they can think about getting a job, housing or just making a difference on the outside," she said.

Ms Pender has a good knowledge of phonics – fundamental for reading – thanks to her work with children.

Bosses at the trust, a registered charity, praised her work at HMP Erlestoke in Devizes.

They nominated her for the Volunteer Award, one of eight categories at BBC Radio Wiltshire's Make a Difference Awards.

Ms Pender said she found her volunteer work "amazingly inspiring" and was so proud of what the prisoners she trains go on to do in life.

You can find out more about the BBC Make a Difference Awards where you live here.