Rhiannon Prideaux

"Detention centres are either former Category B prisons, or built to the same spec. Many who have been in prison before say that the centres are worse. The men I visit are three to a room with an open toilet. There is a lot of noise and aggression. I think the place dehumanises everyone.”"

"Many people are scared to talk openly, but we can be independent listeners who are not part of the system, not trying to seek the truth of their story or question their motivations, or their past. We’re just taking what they say at face value.”"

"So it’s perhaps not for you, if you’re the kind of person who likes to find quick solutions. But I realised that, just by turning up, I am showing care that counts for a lot. I once had an email from one man who said, ‘Thank you for visiting today — not many people would waste their time with someone like me,’ which revealed a lot about his low self-esteem, but also about how he valued the time I gave him.”"

"You have to be able to offload yourself. You need a good support network around you, because you will get close to very distressing situations of extreme stress and families torn apart.”"