'Time After Time' - Book by Chris Atkins
‘Eloquent, witty, engaging and enraged … the most important book you’ll read this year.’ Sathnam Sanghera
‘Chris Atkins brings a unique perspective, an unflinching eye and a dark sense of humour to hidden stories from the underbelly of the British justice system. Time after Time is entertaining, unsettling, illuminating and important.’ Rafael Behr
A funny, touching, challenging and campaigning book about our prisons crisis by the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Bit of a Stretch
British prisoners have to endure the most inhumane and barbaric conditions imaginable, so why do so many of them keep going back?
- 80% of criminals who receive cautions or convictions are reoffenders
- 46% of ex-prisoners are re-convicted within a year of leaving prison
- Reoffending costs the taxpayer £18 billion per year
The numbers are staggering. But the reasons behind them will shock you. Former inmate and documentary-maker Chris Atkins has spent the last six years tracking the fortunes of a dozen repeat offenders to understand why the state fails to keep them out of trouble.
From Simon who escaped from a high security prison by pretending to be his twin brother, to Alex who spent nine months living in a string of elite hotels masquerading as the Duke of Marlborough, to Josh who was recalled to prison indefinitely for not attending a party, Time After Time feature funny, wild and poignant stories about our creaking probation system. Chris’s unprecedented access to the criminal underworld explains why the system actually makes reoffending all but inevitable for ex-prisoners.
‘Shocking, scathing, entertaining... If you thought you knew how bad British prisons are, you haven't read this book... It's an inside story to make you weep at the incompetence, stupidity and viciousness of the current system.’ Guardian on A Bit of a Stretch
Chris Atkins is a BAFTA-nominated film-maker. His documentaries Taking Liberties and Starsuckers were critically acclaimed and made front-page news. He directed the documentary film Who Killed the KLF? and has also worked extensively with Dispatches for Channel 4 and BBC Panorama. A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner was a Sunday Times bestseller. Following his release from prison, he is now back in North London, filming documentaries and writing.
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We hope you'll be delighted by your new Fine Cell Work items, but just in case you're not, there are several circumstances in which we will refund your purchase, subject to the item being returned within 30 days of receipt.
Our production process
Each of our products goes on a long and impactful journey before it is ready to be sold. And every one of our items touches the life of at least one prisoner or prison leaver in some way.
Our needlework kits are put together in our prison workshops before being distributed from our London hub to our wonderful volunteers. These inspirational supporters teach people in prison the necessary skills to craft each piece. The completed stitchwork is then returned to us, to ensure it meets our exacting standards, before finally being sent back into a prison to be 'made up', turning it into the final product (e.g. stuffing and adding zips to cushions).
In total, this process can take up to 200 hours and over 70,000 stitches (per piece!)
We know that every single one of our products boosts self-esteem, builds confidence, has a positive impact on a stitcher’s mental health, and gives them the opportunity to transform their lives.
By purchasing a product, you become a part of that journey.
Over 25 years of transformation
Rehabilitating over 8,000 prisoners
Renowned designers
Supported by esteemed designers to create one-of-a-kind, limited edition products
Breaking the cycle
We help break the devastating cycle of reoffending and repeated imprisonment
Support our work
£10 donation
Provides a prisoner with the materials for one tapestry cushion (100 hours of creative activity).
£20 donation
Will enable us to continue providing paid, creative and productive work to even more prisoners around the UK, helping them to build a brighter future.
£50 donation
Sponsors a prisoner to train as a volunteer 'class coordinator', teaching and mentoring other prisoners.
£250 donation
Covers the volunteer costs of a stitching class in prison.
£500 donation
Pays for the training, materials and support for one prisoner for an entire year, helping them to rebuild a meaningful, independent,crime-free life.
By giving prisoners hope that transformation is truly possible, they can envision a meaningful life after release. But nobody tells the story of how Fine Cell Work has helped them better than the prisoners themselves:
“Stitching allows me to use a totally different part of my brain and personality. I can move away from the more difficult reflections and anxieties and feel creative and purposeful. This means I no longer feel that my life has come to a halt and that I am of no use to anyone else.”- Tom, FCW Stitcher -