Veronica's Bird: Thirty-five years inside as a female prison officer

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He soon began to take control over her life removing her from the school she adored, two terms before she was due to take her GCEs, so he could put her to work as cheap labour on his market stall. Abused for many years by these two men, Veronica eventually ran away from him and applied to the Prison Service, intuiting that it was the only safe place she could trust. You’ll commonly find it in fields, lawns, roadsides, turf, waste areas, and probably even in your own yard. Wesley Centre: The service on Sunday will be from 2pm. Helitots will meet on Tuesday March 15 at 9.30am. The groups will be hosting a coffee Morning on Saturday March 19 at 10am in the Institute/Village Hall. The Helibabies group will also meet on Tuesday March 15 at 1.30pm. The Strong and Steady Group will meet on Monday March 14 at 3 pm. The Community Pantry will be held on Friday from 2 till 3pm. I love real life memoirs of people that aren’t celebrities! You get an insight into various lives and professions which you wouldn’t normally see. When I saw this book, I knew this was just my kind of book! Veronica Bird served in the Prison service for 35 years, serving in some of the toughest prisons in the UK. I assumed when I saw the name of the author that it was a made up name, as ‘Bird’ has been known as a slang term for spending time in prison – “my old man’s doing bird” roughly translating as “my husband is in prison for a while”! Strangely enough Veronica Bird is her real name, and an obviously suitable name for someone who worked in the profession that she did. Church News: St Michael’s Kirkby Malham. On Sunday March 13 we have a service of Holy Communion at 10am. All are welcome, including children, and coffee is served after the service. St Michael’s is open every day of the year from 9am to dusk for visitors. Looking ahead, we will be celebrating Mothering Sunday on Sunday, March 27 at the 10am Communion Service.

Messy Monkeys: The group will meet this coming Sunday afternoon in the Institute/Village Hall from 3pm. Veronica’s prison career mirrored that Myra Hindley, both Veronica and Myra ‘entered’ the prison service from very different places on the same day, and they both ‘left’ the service on the same day; an extraordinary coincidence. I really loved this book! My heart went out to Veronica as a young girl and teenager, but then cheered for her when she began rising through the ranks in what was then a very male dominated world. Not only did she prove to herself that she was worthy and good at what she did, but also to other women of that time that nothing is impossible. I imagine the role as Prison Officer and then the ranks which she was above that to be a very hard job, one that I would not want to have done then or now! The book tells of accounts of prison life, on both sides of the bars, interspersed with tales of Veronica’s own personal story. Reaching the end of the book, the prologue, written by Richard Newman, is particularly poignant and sad, but the pictures included in the book show what are hopefully happier times.

Finding freedom behind bars

Revd Julie Clarkson leads the service of Holy Communion at 11am on Sunday 9 October. This service will be live streamed. Go to www.settlechurchestube.org.uk if you'd like to join in. Alternatively it would be lovely to welcome you in person next Sunday morning. Veronica worked within the prison service for 35 years, in some of the harshest prisons in England, and tells her story in an interesting and fast moving manner. Wow, this is a powerful and fascinating read. Photos are included in the book.

My school motto was ‘not for oneself, but for all’ and that is what I try to follow. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” The flowers are roughly one centimetre (0.4in) wide [5] and are sky-blue with dark stripes and white centers. They are zygomorphic, having only one vertical plane of symmetry. They are solitary on long, slender, hairy stalks in the leaf axils.

Pontefract Civic Society Talks

Skipton Retired Men’s Forum: The group will meet on Tuesday, March 15 at the Soroptomists’ Rooms, Otley Street at 10am. The speaker, Veronica Bird OBE, will tell the story From Prison to Palace. New members welcome. This week at Holy Trinity - Thursday 10.30am Holy Communion. Friday 10.30am to 11.45am bible discussion group. 12pm to 2pm, Sacred Space. Throughout the book, you learn more about Veronica’s career in the prison service across 35 years and the perspective from the inside. I sometimes struggle with non fiction reads but this has the perfect balance between heartbreaking and hilarious and I could not put it down. People will come here now and in a very short period of time get a very wide range of knowledge in terms of the culture, environment and history of K’gari that will significantly improve their experience when they go out and explore the wilderness,” said the mayor. Anytime you use a wild plant as a medicinal or nutritional supplement, it is best to consult a doctor before consuming it.