2makeit - Kathy Baker

kathy_Baker_MBE

Kathy Baker MBE

(10th June 1947 – 7th June 2018)

Kathy spent most of her working life in the Probation and Prison Services. In 1991 she was seconded to Samaritans to establish a partnership with the Prison Service and during that time played a key role establishing the Listener scheme in our prisons, [Prisoner volunteers selected, trained and supported by Samaritans to offer emotional support to fellow prisoners].

In both the public and voluntary sectors, she has focused on enabling others to work together, to take on the very difficult challenges of treating people caught up in the criminal justice system with humanity and respect, offering offenders a real opportunity to rebuild their lives positively.

“We have been so fortunate and privileged to have had Kathy as one of our trustees from the beginning in 2013 when this charity began life under a different name. It was a happy coincidence that both she and I quite separately accepted invitations to become trustees, though we had been friends for 25 years. Her experience and knowledge of prisons, prisoners and probation was second to none. This was immensely valuable to a new charity working towards the rehabilitation of prisoners, but it was her kindness and humanity shining through everything she did that really informed and guided us in our endeavours. As we continue to develop our re-named and re-ordered charity without her ever optimistic and enthusiastic presence, there will be many occasions when we shall ask ourselves: “What would Kathy have done?”

Thank you, Kathy.”

Nicholas Hopkins

Chair

Click here for Kathy's obituary in The Guardian.