Life After Prison

In this week's episode of Cellmate To CEO, Tony is joined by Abdul Bangura, founder and CEO of aviation business ALAC Group.

Abdul first went to prison at 18 and served three separate sentences before being released for the last time in 2015. Determined to turn his life around, he started a healthy meal-prep business, Fresco Box, using an idea inspired by the prison kitchens. What began with a handful of customers and meals cooked in his mum's kitchen quickly grew into an award-winning business.

But when the pandemic brought Fresco Box to an end, Abdul found himself starting again. With no experience in aviation, he took an idea he'd written down years earlier and began building what would become ALAC Group.

Abdul talks to Tony about the importance of mentors, transferring skills from prison into business, dealing with grief and setbacks, and why earning money legitimately has given him a greater sense of achievement than anything he experienced in his previous life.
He also discusses his latest venture, From the Wing to the Wing, which is helping people in prison develop confidence to pursue careers in aviation.

Useful links:
The Forward Trust: Enterprise coaching, business mentoring and support for people looking to start their own business.
Switchback: Mentoring and practical support for young men leaving prison in London.
New Futures Network: Helping people in prison access employment opportunities on release.
ALAC Group: Abdul’s aviation business, delivering highly effective component supply chain solutions to transform Global Aviation Logistics.
From the Wing to the Wing CIC: Creating structured, technical pathways for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system into careers in aviation.
Abdul’s Life After Prison episode with Zak and Jules

Contact us:
If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.
💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tony talks to Richard Brice. Richard is the founder and CEO of Clean Slate Solutions, an organisation helping people with convictions move into employment.

Richard talks to Tony about how addiction took over his life, eventually leading to prison, and the role faith and recovery played in helping him rebuild.

Richard also shares how the idea for Clean Slate Solutions began while he was still in prison, after seeing both the number of people preparing for release who wanted to work, and employers who were open to giving people a second chance. He talks about building the organisation from scratch, rebuilding trust in his personal life, and what he's learned about leadership along the way.

Richard also reflects on the importance of staying clean and sober, and what it means to him now to be a reliable dad, son and husband.

Useful organisations:

Clean Slate Solutions - supports people with convictions into employment, while working with employers to create opportunities for people leaving prison.
Rebelution - An organisation working to address some of the wider barriers people can face after prison, including resettlement and housing.
Cocaine Anonymous UK - fellowship and peer support for people who want to stop using cocaine and other mind-altering substances.
Narcotics Anonymous UK - peer-support meetings for people who want help with drug addiction..
Alcoholics Anonymous - support for people who want to stop drinking.
FRANK - confidential information and advice around drugs and getting help.
Samaritans - providing free, confidential emotional support to anyone who is struggling or in distress, 24 hours a day.
Unlock - practical information and support for people with convictions, particularly around disclosure, employment and rebuilding after a conviction.

Nacro - support and advice around resettlement, criminal records, housing and employment after prison.

Contact us:
If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.
💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're sharing the live recording of our show at the 2026 London Podcast Festival. It was truly an incredible experience, we're so grateful for to our guests and all of you who attended!

Joining us on the day was Lord Dr Michael Hastings, a member of the House of Lords, educator, business executive and holds who a key voice in the Criminal justice system. He is the founder of Men of Purpose, a community built around mentorship and creating positive futures.

Alongside him were two men who have personally benefited from this amazing work: Corey White Sr and Karim Douglas.

Organisations: Second Chance Partnership - Connects prison leavers directly with businesses to secure paid employment upon their release. By providing guaranteed jobs and ongoing mentorship, the initiative helps companies fill vacancies while reducing re-offending rates.

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're joined by Adrian, a man grew up with a real passion and talent for football, but his life took a very different direction after that opportunity was taken away.

From football, to the streets, prison, and eventually finding his way back to the game he loved, Adrian's journey is one of setbacks, second chances and finding a way forward.

Today he's using everything he's been through to help young people make different choices.

Organisations:
Step Out Stay Out - Deliver football coaching and mentoring inside prisons, including FA qualifications and preparation for employment.

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Supreme is back with a brand new series of Cellmate to CEO. Tony is the CEO of Soul Surge Wellness & Soul Surge and has lived experience of the criminal justice system himself. In this inspirational series, he talks to other CEOs, leaders and changemakers about their transition from prison to leadership.

In this episode Tony talks to Lanre Babalola. Lanre is the founder and CEO of BUBIC - Bringing Unity Back Into the Community - an organisation supporting people affected by crime, offending, substance use and social exclusion.
Lanre talks to Tony about growing up feeling different, being sent to Nigeria as a teenager, and his first experience of prison there before later spending years going in and out of prison in the UK.
He shares how, after another period in prison, he reached a point where he knew something had to change. After returning to a drug service, Lanre became part of a small peer group of black men supporting each other away from drugs, violence and offending. That experience became the starting point for what would eventually become BUBIC.
Lanre also talks about why lived experience and peer support are at the heart of BUBIC, from outreach into crack houses and a 24-hour support line to programmes helping people move towards recovery, training and employment.
Looking to the future, he explains his ambition to create a clearer route for people leaving prison- from the prison gate into stable accommodation, support, training and eventually employment.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lTHr_A-AqA1ir0-KUx3y6NN5YnBDZAyR
Useful organisations:

BUBIC - Bringing Unity Back Into the Community - peer-led support for people affected by substance use, offending and social exclusion, including outreach and recovery support.
Forward Trust - providing drug and alcohol recovery, rehabilitation and resettlement support, including services for people in prison and after release.
Cocaine Anonymous UK - fellowship and peer support for people who want to stop using cocaine and other mind-altering substances.
Narcotics Anonymous UK - peer-support meetings for people who want help with drug addiction.
Alcoholics Anonymous - support for people who want to stop drinking.
FRANK - confidential information and advice around drugs and getting help.
Samaritans - providing free, confidential emotional support to anyone who is struggling or in distress, 24 hours a day.
Unlock - practical information and support for people with convictions, particularly around disclosure, employment and rebuilding after a conviction.
Nacro - support and advice around resettlement, criminal records, housing and employment after prison.

Contact us:
If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.
💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.