Posted on: 9th April 2024

Alpha House, a charity which prepares people for mainstream society after prison and was born out of prayer has received the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Concerned by the lack of housing and support for male prison leavers returning to Halifax and their social issues including drugs and alcohol dependency, former Probation Officer Fran Nowell decided to do something about it – with God’s help and guidance.

Back in 2010, she began a project which now offers supported accommodation, help with mental health plus training and coaching to help residents turn their lives around, restore relationships and become productive members of society.

A worshipper at Christ Church, Mount Pellon, in our Huddersfield Episcopal Area, Fran had spent the last two decades of her 25 year career with the Probation Service in Calderdale and knew the hard road faced by former drug and alcohol addicts freshly released from jail.

Read more about the work of Alpha House and the award here.