Colin’s Big Adventure

From Listener to Buddy, student to author, Colin Pritchard has packed as much as possible into his time inside

I first came across Colin Pritchard back in 2024 when Inside Time was sent a book that he and his partner Victoria had co-authored aimed at children with parents in prison. ‘Daddy’s Big Adventure’ was movingly written and colourfully illustrated, and ended up for sale on Amazon as well as appearing in prison libraries. The book featured in our newspaper. Quite an achiev-ement for a man in prison. Quite an example of families working together despite the prison walls keeping them physically apart.

But I then found out that there was more to Colin’s prison life. He was at that time a mentor in the Time4Change programme in HMP Preston, a counsellor for others in the jail, and considered by officers to be a model prisoner. So when I learned that very soon he is due to transform into a model ex-prisoner, I was delighted to be able to catch up with him whilst he was out on ROTL. 

Shortly after our meeting he won an award from the charities PACT (Prisoner Advice and Care Trust) and the Marsh Trust. He was modest about this achievement, but it is something to broadcast to others.

Colin’s first experience of prison was at HMP Liverpool, where he was based from 2014 to 2016. As soon as he was first locked up, he took a decision. He told me: “I vowed I would not allow myself to sit in a cell feeling sorry for myself and doing nothing, but would look for positive activities that would improve myself and hopefully help others.” He quickly took up positions of responsibility, becoming a team leader within the Listener scheme, offering peer support to fellow inmates. Alongside this, he worked full-time as an induction orderly, helping new arrivals to understand prison life.

He moved to HMP Haverigg from 2016 to 2018, where he continued in similar roles. From 2018 to 2020, Colin was based at HMP Kirkham, further developing his skills. 

However, he told me: “Unfortunately due to ketamine addiction following having to use it for pain relief, my progress to a life outside stalled and I ended up back in jail.” In 2023, Colin was transferred to HMP Preston, where he spent over two years once again making a significant impact. During this time, he played a leading role in delivering the Here2Help peer mentoring programme and supported individuals through Time4-Change. He was in Preston in 2024 when I first communicated with him over the children’s book. Preston officers told me how proud they were of all his work.

Since 2023 he has been at HMP Kirkham (2023–present), where he has been actively involved in the NHS-supported Buddy Programme, assisting prisoners with disabilities and additional needs. He also raises awareness around substance misuse and supports individuals in their recovery journeys.

Alongside his practical work he is currently studying for a university degree in psychology and is also completing an electrical engineering course at Preston College.

He told me that whilst officers in all the establishments had been encouraging and supportive, his most positive and transformative experiences have been at Preston and Kirkham, adding: “These two prisons provided me with the opportunity to engage in meaningful courses, take on leadership roles, and make a genuine difference in the lives of others.”

And so on to the award. He received the Power Award, given jointly by PACT and the Marsh Charitable Trust, for having gone “above and beyond” to support fellow inmates and their families, without seeking recognition for his work. He was nominated by colleagues across the organisations, and selected by a panel from the two charities. The ceremony at which he received the award was also attended by Prisons Minister Lord Timpson and former justice minister Lord Ponsonby.

Colin told me: “It is hard to believe I was there. It is thanks to the support of others I have met on this long journey. The next stage is to adapt to life outside, and find ways of helping others to copy what I have done.” 

Nathan Motherwell, also from PACT, was much firmer in his praise for Colin. “He is a great role model for others. He is calm, takes the stress of prison in his stride, and is always there to support his fellows. This award was well deserved, and don’t let him persuade you otherwise.”

Colin’s journey reflects not only personal growth and accountability, but also a commitment to supporting rehabilitation and helping others move forward. Now he has the next stage: getting out, adapting to life outside, staying out, and using the skills he has learned whilst in prison to support others. He wants to tell people: “Get out of the cells, support others, and move forward. Life is outside, but until you step out of the gates use every minute positively. I am never going back.”

So the author of Daddy’s Big Adventure now has his own big adventure. I know he will not return to prison, unless as part of a project to inspire others. I wish both him and the highly-supportive Victoria every success.