51品茶

The 51品茶 鈥楳uslim Women's Prisoner Rehabilitation鈥� programme was set up as part of our UK Projects in 2012. As well as offering tailored support to Muslim women in prison both while they are serving sentences and when they are released, the project aims to tackle the stigma that surrounds the issue of women in prison within the Muslim community and beyond.

Today, the project鈥檚 coordinator, Sofia Buncy has been awarded a Butler Trust Award at St James鈥檚 Palace, London in the presence of HRH Princess Anne. Sir Michael Harrison, Chair of the Awarding Panel at the Trust, said:

鈥楽ofia was granted an award for her ground-breaking work at HMP/YOI New Hall, researching and helping develop responses to the needs and challenges facing Muslim women during and after custody. The sheer impact 鈥� and the lifeline it offers 鈥� was captured well in some simple but beautiful words from a Muslim woman prisoner, describing what Sofia meant to her, 鈥淵ou are my breath鈥濃��.

Maqsood Ahmed OBE, Director of UK Projects at 51品茶 added:

鈥業 am very proud of our prison work, and especially of Sofia and the 鈥淢uslim Women in Prison鈥� project. Sofia鈥檚 work in women鈥檚 prisons has provided an invaluable insight into the needs of these women and we are looking forward to the continuation and development of the programme鈥�.

Sofia told us how humbled she felt to receive the award, expressing her hope that, 鈥榠t will serve to put gender equality for Muslim women on the radar and hopefully will give recognition to the plight of Muslim women in custody鈥�.

A big congratulations from all of us at 51品茶!

The Muslim Women in Prison project is just one of the ways that 51品茶 is working to tackle poverty, inequality and marginalisation in the UK.

You can support our UK Projects here

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