Barry Woodward

Barry Woodward grew up in Salford, Greater Manchester. At 16, he left school with no qualifications and became drawn into the Manchester music and drugs scene. This eventually led to a life of heroin addiction and drug dealing.

After being dependent on heroin for fifteen years and spending a number of terms in prison, Barry had what he describes as a ‘religious experience’, which resulted in his life being totally transformed. After becoming a Christian, he studied full time at Cliff College, where he was awarded a Diploma in Biblical Studies and Evangelistic Ministry from Sheffield University. He became an evangelist and has subsequently worked with many Christian organisations.

Barry is a contemporary communicator who is passionate and inspirational. He uses storytelling and humour to communicate the message of hope. Barry is an accredited travelling minister with the Assemblies of God denomination, in the UK, and is also an associate evangelist with J. John of the Philo Trust. He is author of ‘Once an Addict’, and he and his wife Tina are members of the Bridge Church, Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Claire Gibson

Claire is Lead Pastor at Freedom City Church along with her husband Jamie. Jamie and Claire have been part of Freedom City since it was planted in 1992 and have served in all aspects of church life, teams, leadership and have been leading the church together since September 2020. Jamie and Claire have 11-year-old twin daughters. Claire has worked within Family Support Services for over 20 years and managed a local authority Family Support Team for over 10 years.

Claire has worked in a variety of settings including social work, education and the voluntary sector offering support, parenting programmes, groupwork and individualised support packages to parents and children who are facing difficulties and adversities of all kinds. Claire also lectured in Social Care until recently. She has a passion to see families healed and restored and to equip parents and carers to be the best they can be. Her heart is to see families released from destructive cycles and free to live in and live out the blessing of God for generations to come.

John O’ Connor

John overcame a violent past marked by crime, imprisonment, and heroin addiction. He found faith in prison and is now an evangelist with Junction 42, leading on the national resources team for prisons and the community, which supplies faith resources to over 130 prisons and community partners. John also equips local churches nationwide through the Connect Network to establish missional communities among the marginalized and leads a missional community in Newcastle. He is married to Joanne and is the father of two teenage daughters.

Simon Edwards

Simon Edwards is a transformational leader, entrepreneur, and advocate for faith-driven recovery and care. Having overcome addiction, prison, and a turbulent upbringing that included over 25 care placements, Simon’s life is a testament to the redemptive power of God’s grace and purpose.

As the CEO of Walk Ministries, Simon helps men rebuild their lives after addiction, offering recovery programs and pathways to independence. Beyond recovery, Simon owns and operates a school for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), children’s homes, and transitional care programs for young adults and adults. Through his property portfolios, Simon creates spaces for care, education, and housing, ensuring long-term support for vulnerable individuals of all ages.

Ryan Longmuir

Ryan Longmuir is 45 years old a committed follower of Jesus. After a mis-spent youth which led him down a road of taking and selling drugs which eventually led to him being caught importing drugs to New Zealand in 1999. This was the catalyst for change and while waiting to be dealt with the criminal justice system in New Zealand prayed a prayer God if you are real show me that you are real, I will believe in you my life is a mess. This then led to an encounter with Jesus which transformed his life and set him free from drugs and with a purpose to see many lives transformed by the life changing message and love of Jesus.

On returning to Scotland Ryan was involved with various charities working with homeless and those with life controlling addictions. Ryan is married to Shirley-Ann for 22 years and has 3 children.

Due to the charity Ryan was working for running out of money Ryan then got involved with business. He is the founder and CEO of Regis Banqueting Ltd which employs 200 staff and supports ex-offenders and those from addictive backgrounds with employment. The company also gives 10% of its net profits to charity each year. Along with Regis Banqueting Ltd has several other business ventures.

Along with being involved with business sits on several charity boards who work with those in prison to support those in prison to find freedom through the life changing message and love of Jesus. Ryan is a volunteer for PFS and has led a group in Shotts prison for 9 years.

Candice Gorman

My name is Candice Gorman, I’m from Irvine in Ayrshire. I’m 41 years old and in 2021 when I was 37 my life was transformed by the living God Jesus Christ. I spent 22 years a prisoner to drug addiction, half of that I spent involved in organised crime. I was the youngest of three and by the time I’d hit adolescence my family was riddled with addiction, my brother and sister were both in active addiction and crime was a normal occurrence.

In 2003 my sister died in addiction and a year later my dad got 12 year for money laundering and drug trafficking. It felt like we were cursed and no one knew a way out.
And in 2015 I was also finally arrested as a consequence of my lifestyle but little did I know an encounter with Jesus whilst in prison was going to change my life forever .

MVRVIN ADAMHA

MVRVIN ADAMHA (formerly known as Crown Freedom) is a Rapper, Producer, Songwriter from South Manchester.  He describes his style as ‘Ninja’ -Killer flows with sharp, raw lyricism and a mix and blend of explosive technique. MVRVIN ADAMHA’s music is inspired by God to enrich the soul and to provide a helping hand to those stuck in the pit of despair. MVRVIN (pronounced Marvin) brings substance and soul food with the electric hope of Jesus that changes lives.

He grew up on an estate in South Manchester, notorious for violence and crime. Anger issues and insecurities led him into fighting, reacting negatively, carrying weapons and gang affiliation. He fell in love with Hip-Hop and his love for music kept him from falling deeper into crime. MVRVIN became a Christian in 2013 and now has a music ministry under his brand, ‘Iron Sharpens Iron,’ where he uses music to engage some of the hardest to reach people and displays the love of Christ. MVRVIN ADAMHA works as a Mental Health Practitioner for young people in crisis. He often performs and preaches the Gospel at various youth events, schools and prisons, including his own Blades Down project around Knife Crime.

David York

David York serves as the Projects Manager for Prison Fellowship Scotland (PFS), where he is committed to bringing hope and transformation to those impacted by the prison system. Prior to joining PFS, David successfully owned and operated a business in the food industry, which he sold to dedicate himself fully to prison ministry—a cause deeply close to his heart.

Raised in Rutherglen as the youngest of three brothers, David faced significant challenges in his early years. The death of his father when he was 12 marked a turning point in his life, leading him down a path of rebellion. By age 15, he had numerous encounters with the justice system, including arrests, visits to the children’s panel, and interventions from social workers. At 16, David was remanded to Polmont Young Offenders Institution, beginning a cycle of incarceration that saw him in prison 20 times between the ages of 16 and 24, largely driven by substance abuse.

It was during a prison sentence in Kilmarnock in 2011 that David encountered a Prison Fellowship group and began exploring faith. This journey led to a life-changing decision to follow Jesus. Since then, he has remained free from incarceration for over 12 years, dedicating his life to helping others find the same hope and transformation.

David holds a Certificate in Christian Leadership and an HNC in Counselling. He has extensive experience in church leadership, including being part of a church planting team and serving as a pastor in Rutherglen, the community where he grew up.

David has been married to his wife, Stephanie, for eight years, and they are proud parents to two young daughters, aged three and five.

Today, David spends his days preaching the gospel, coordinating and planting Prison Fellowship groups, managing volunteers, and collaborating with chaplains across Scotland to bring the message of Christ into prisons. His work spans all 17 prisons in Scotland, whether directly or through the efforts of a dedicated volunteer network.

Deeply passionate about reaching people for Christ—especially those in prison or from challenging backgrounds—David is committed to helping individuals connect with local churches and supporting their spiritual growth as they embark on their own journeys of faith.