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  • Our story
  1. About us
  2. Our story

Our story

In 2002, Sharon Berry worked with the Writer in Residence to develop the Storybook Dads idea at HMP Channings Wood in Devon.   Sharon moved to HMP Dartmoor and introduced the scheme there, recording prisoners on the wings and editing the stories from home.

It proved so popular that the Governor gave her a prison cell to work from and allowed her to employ a couple of prisoners to help with the editing. Other prisons heard about Storybook Dads and wanted to implement the project too. In order to attract some much needed funding, Sharon started the Storybook Dads charity in 2003.

The Governor of HMP Dartmoor gave Storybook Dads an empty classroom to work from and soon Storybook Dads in Dartmoor were providing an editing service for several other prisons. Sharon also began training other prisons to set up their own editing suite and replicate the project.

The prison gave the team in Dartmoor some new offices which were officially opened by Princess Anne in 2007. Storybook Dads began to train the army navy and air force to copy their model so that service personnel could send stories to their children. 

In 2015 Storybook Dads moved their editing headquarters to Channings Wood. The team now consists of eight staff and sixteen prisoners who provide an editing and production service to approximately 100 prisons. 

They also employ some ex-prisoners as home editors upon release and have so far employed 20 on short term contracts to help them get back on the road to a crime-free life.

Sharon's Story

Annual Reviews

Published: 27th June, 2018

Updated: 29th October, 2020

Author:

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    CSJ Award Finalists 2022

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    We work in approximately 100 UK prisons, including women’s prisons, young offender institutes and secure hospitals.

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    We are incredibly proud that our innovative work has been recognised and has earned us a number of prestigious awards over the years.

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    Storybook Dads is a multi-award winning charity, well-known and respected in the prison estate...but back in 2002 it was a very different story! Click here to find out more about our humble beginnings.

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    Where we work

    We work in approximately 100 UK prisons, including women’s prisons, young offender institutes and secure hospitals.

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    Story CDs and DVDs

    Every year we help over 5,000 prisoners to record bedtime stories for their children. By sending a story disc to their children, parents can bring comfort to their children and share the joy of storytelling from behind bars. Our friendly team are there to help less confident readers and the editing process means that even non-readers can take part.

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    We help prisoners to make other educational and fun gifts such as memory books, calendars, challenge charts and pop-up books. A lot of work and creativity goes into these activities and the children love their personalised gifts. Some of these activities are ideal for older children.

  • Volunteer

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    "I think Storybook Dads staff probably see the best side of prisoners as most Dads love and miss their children very much."

  • Training/Work Experience

    Training/Work Experience

    Recordings from prisons all over the UK are sent to our headquarters and main production centre at HMP Channings Wood in Devon. Our sixteen prisoner editors are trained to use industry standard audio / video software to make the stories into extra special gifts for the children.

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Alan Crickmore HMP Brixton Ted Talk
               
    

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Storybook Dads
HMP Channings Wood
Denbury
Newton Abbot
Devon
TQ12 6DW

0300 365 3237
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Storybook Dads is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity Registration No. 1101208