Bendrigg Trust

The Bendrigg Alternative (BA) scheme is designed to provide opportunities for offenders or people ‘at risk’ of offending to work alongside, supporting and encouraging disabled people throughout their stay at Bendrigg. Since the scheme’s inception in 1991, many people have benefited from such a positive, and often powerful, experience which has helped change the way they think and relate to others and thereby reduce their offending behaviour.

It provides people with the opportunity to give something back to society, to look at themselves and to put a new perspective on their lives. They have opportunities to give their time and energy to others, share in what really matters, be trusted and valued and be responsible for others. The experience puts their life into context, to see things differently and importantly to be ‘themselves’, which is very difficult when in a custodial situation. What is truly amazing is that everyone rises to the challenge and makes the most of their experience.