Sycamore Tree

After years of prayer and working with the Prison Service, PF Northern Ireland relaunched the Sycamore Tree Project®in Magilligan Prison. This first course to run in the country since 2008 served six men with four of them receiving certificates from the Open College Network for their participation. According to facilitator Joe Cassells – a first time prison volunteer – the course had an obvious impact on the participants’ attitudes with “sullenness turned to seriousness and cynicism to engagement.”

With the positive experiences at Magilligan, PF Northern Ireland offered a second Sycamore Tree course in Hydebank. Ten female prisoners participated with positive results. Currently, PF Northern Ireland is negotiating the possibility of running a third course. Their goal is to develop Sycamore Tree as an ongoing part of their ministry.

The recent Sycamore Tree implementation results from a persistence in both prayer and negotiating with the prison service. PF Northern Ireland first ran Sycamore Tree in a juvenile facility in Hydebank in 2008. Although they had an agreement to run two more courses in adult facilities, the ministry did not receive the go ahead until late 2010.

• Christmas Hope
• Sycamore Tree