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Our 2025 Charity Partner is...Spark Inside

Posted by Taina Slenderbroek on 3rd June 2025

The October Club is delighted to announce that its chosen charity partner for 2025 is Spark Inside, a charity that provides workshops and coaching to young people in prisons, as well as coaching to prison staff.

Spark Inside was established in 2012 to offer young people in the criminal justice system a real route to change and a crime-free future upon their release from prison. Its tailored support programmes, including the award-winning intervention “Hero’s Journey” – a structured life coaching programme for 15-25 year-olds that builds motivation to change – have so far reached over 1,750 people across 14 prisons. External evaluations have found that these programmes have led to statistical improvements in participants’ wellbeing and decision-making, and the vast majority have made tangible progress towards education or employment after their release.

To date Spark Inside has operated predominantly in London, but it has received many requests for its services outside of the capital. The charity has recently begun to offer its coaching programmes in one Midlands prison. With funds raised by The October Club thanks to its generous sponsors and other key supporters, Spark Inside will be able to expand its Midlands operations seven-fold across three prisons in the region.  

Vicki Cardwell, the CEO Spark Inside said: “We’re thrilled to be expanding our life coaching programmes into more prisons across the Midlands. We know that young people take hold of this chance to rewrite their story, and to build a more positive future. Thanks to the incredible support from The October Club and its sponsors, we’ll be able to reach even more individuals at a crucial turning point in their lives. This is an exciting moment for Spark Inside, and a powerful step toward breaking the cycle of crime for good.”

Samantha Huggins, Chair of The October Club added: “The October Club is thrilled to partner with Spark Inside for 2025. Their proven track record of transforming young lives through innovative coaching programmes aligns perfectly with The October Club's commitment to making a meaningful difference in our communities. The opportunity to help expand their vital work into the Midlands represents exactly the kind of impactful, transformational change we strive to support. We look forward to working alongside Spark Inside to give more young offenders the tools and motivation they need to build crime-free futures.”

For more information about Spark Inside, please see www.sparkinside.org