Life After Prison

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.

In this episode, Tony talks to Haidar Razzak, co-founder of Basement Gym + Studio, an independent gym business with sites across London.

Haidar shares the journey that took him from prison to studying Mathematics at the University of Oxford and building successful businesses. He talks about losing his father at a young age, the circumstances that led to his offending, and the moment in prison that made him realise he needed to change direction.

He also reflects on rediscovering education in prison, the barriers and rejection he faced after release, and his determination to keep moving forward. From selling ice creams after leaving prison, to setting up a transport service helping families visit loved ones at HMP Wayland, studying at Oxford University, and eventually launching Basement Gym.

Haidar shares what he's learned about entrepreneurship, leadership and breaking seemingly impossible challenges down into manageable steps.

Useful organisations:

Prisoners' Education Trust - Supporting people in prison to access distance-learning courses and educational opportunities.
The Longford Trust - Providing scholarships and mentoring to people with convictions who want to continue their education at university.
The King's Trust - Supporting young people to develop skills and move into employment, education or enterprises
The Open University - Offering flexible distance-learning courses and degrees, including opportunities for people studying while in prison.
DWRM (Doing What Really Matters) - Supporting people with lived experience of the criminal justice system into education, employment and opportunities to build a positive future.

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's conversation is with a mother whose life changed in ways she could never have imagined. Her story takes us through unimaginable loss, grief, public judgement and the devastating impact of the criminal justice system on a family.

But this isn't just a story about what happened, it's about what came after. Finding a way to keep going, turning pain into purpose, and using her own experience to support other families and young people.

She's now doing incredible work helping people understand trauma, emotions, choices and the impact they can have on their lives.

Organisations:

A Life of Choices - A charity that uses lived experience to create programs that address the root causes of violence, support families affected by the criminal justice system, and help men forge healthier paths forward.

Manhood From Within - Through extensive engagement with the criminal justice system, both personally and professionally, they've developed a program that addresses both the practical and emotional needs of men serving long sentences.

Prison Advice and Care Trust — Supports prisoners and their families, including children with family visits, relationship support and resettlement.

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.