How communities can extend women’s sentences after release
Hosted by Gillian Jones QC, Joint Head of Red Lion Chambers, panel members will explore the issues relating to how communities can extend women’s sentences after their release, touching on the system, resettlement, societal pressures, why women are treated differently to men and the impact on children and families.
Joining the panel will be:
Harriet Wistrich, Founding Director at Centre for Women’s Justice
Ambreen Razia, Actress and Playwright
Róisín McBrinn, Joint Artistic Director at Clean Break
Amanda Richardson, Clean Break Trustee
Jennifer Joseph, Member of Clean Break
The webinar will also include a special preview of a scene from Clean Break’s forthcoming play ‘The Favour’ (co-produced with the Bush Theatre) written by actress and playwright Ambreen Razia (Hounslow Diaries, Ilford Lane) and directed by Róisín McBrinn, Joint Artistic Director of Clean Break. The play focuses on Aleena and her struggles to find a place for herself on the other side of prison. It explores the pressure her community places on her and the impact of imprisonment on women and their children and families.
The panel and performance will be followed by an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Gillian Jones QC (CHAIR)
Gillian is both the first woman and the youngest person to become Head of Chambers in its 71-year history. She is an inspiring role model both as a QC and in her role leading the set.
Gillian has for many years sat on the Developmental Board at Clean Break and is an active member of the legal referral panel for the Centre for Women’s Justice. She was recognised in the ‘Hot 100’ lawyers list 2021 produced by The Lawyer Magazine; was winner of ‘Crime Silk of the year’ for Legal 500’s UK awards 2020; was Highly Commended by the British Legal Awards 2019 for the ‘Women in law award’ and is cited as a Leading Silk by Chambers UK and Legal 500.
Harriet Wistrich
Harriet Wistrich is founder and director of the Centre for Women's Justice 2016, a multi partner organisation aimed at bringing cases holding the state to account in relation to violence against women and girls. She is also a solicitor experience working with the renowned civil liberties firm, Birnberg Peirce Ltd. She is the winner of the Liberty Human Rights Lawyer of the Year award 2014, Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2018 and Law Society legal personality of the year 2019. She is also a founder of the campaign group Justice for Women and trustee of the charity, the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize.
At the Centre for Women’s Justice she heads up the strategic litigation team which is taking forward a number of significant strategic litigation challenges including acting on behalf of the End Violence Against Women Coalition to challenge the DPP with regard the collapse in prosecutions for rape.
Ambreen Razia
Ambreen Razia is an actor and writer from South London. Her critically acclaimed play The Diary of a Hounslow Girl toured nationally around the UK and has been adapted as a BBC three Pilot.
Her play POT was published by Oberon books and completed its UK National Tour around the country, focusing heavily on girls in gangs and children growing up in the UK care system. She co-wrote and screened her short filmed Relapse, which explores the UK's prison system.
Ambreen has performed and worked in women’s prisons across the UK. Ambreen has recently been commissioned by Clean Break Theatre company. Recent acting credits include - Hounslow Diaries (BBC), Black Mirror (Netflix), This Way Up (Channel 4) and Trigonometry (BBC 2). Awards include Best Newcomer (Asian Media Awards) and Eastern Eye Emerging artist award, 2017. Ambreen was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Women of the World in 2017 and won best emerging writer at last year’s Edinburgh Television Awards.
Róisín McBrinn
Róisín McBrinn is a theatre director. She became Joint Artistic Director of Clean Break in 2018. Prior to this she was Head of the Artistic Programme since 2014 with responsibility for commissioning and developing writers and artists. She has directed many productions including shows at the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre (Dublin), West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Theatres, the Bush Theatre and Sherman Theatre.
For Clean Break, she has directed Joanne by Deborah Bruce, Theresa Ikoko, Laura Lomas, Chinonyerem Odimba and Ursula Rani Sarma; House by Somalia Seaton; Amongst the Reeds by Chinonyerem Odimba; and Thick as Thieves by Katherine Chandler.
Amanda Richardson
Amanda Richardson has been a Clean Break Member since 2012 and became a trustee in 2019. Amanda worked in the care sector before more recent customer service roles at The Koestler Trust and Southbank Centre, and volunteer work with projects at Talawa Theatre Company, The Place and Citizens Advice Bureau. As an actor, she has trained at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Jennifer Joseph
Jennifer has been a Clean Break Member since 2010 and has gone on to a professional career as a performer on stage and screen. She has appeared in all three of Phyllida Lloyd’s acclaimed all-women Shakespeare Trilogy at the Donmar Warehouse, and most recently starred in Clean Break’s co-production with The Royal Court Inside Bitch. Her film credits include Honeytrap directed by Rebecca Johnson and Starred Up for Sigma Films. Recent TV credits include My Mad Fat Diary for Channel 4. As an advocate for Arts in Prisons, she takes part in outreach programmes about penal issues and is an Ambassador for Women In Prison.