Like many of you, I was very concerned about Melanie's safety and wellbeing, but it was a great relief to be able to sit down and talk with her for just over two hours in a relaxed atmosphere.
Following the very brief report on Melanie Shaw in the UKColumn news on Friday 19th July 2019, we have been contacted by several people seeking further information about Melanie and her current situation.
I am very happy to have had the opportunity to visit Melanie. Rampton Hospital I was reunited with Melanie last Thursday, 18 July. It was a very happy and emotional reunion, having not seen her in person for over three years, and having not been able to contact her by letter or phone for over two years due to unexplained restrictions imposed by senior prison officials. Like many of you, I was very concerned about Melanie's safety and wellbeing, so it was a relief to be able to sit down and talk to her in a relaxed atmosphere for just over two hours.
After two years of no contact, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter and then a phone call from her a few weeks ago. The renewed contact gave me the opportunity to visit, at Melanie's request and with the help and collaboration of the staff at Lampton.
Melanie seems to be doing well, and I'm told she's doing much better now than when she first came to Rampton Prison from a prison where she endured about 19 months in solitary confinement and was treated badly in many ways.
I was very encouraged by the positive and caring attitude of the Lampton staff who attended my visit and I am confident that they have Melanie's interests first and are doing what is best for her. Although on medication, Melanie was cheerful, talkative and had a clear understanding of what her situation was and what she wanted to achieve to improve it.
“Her position is very delicate at this time as Rampton Hospital is a maximum security facility and her transition to a more relaxed environment and ultimately her release will take time. There are also appropriate medical and legal issues underway, but I am unable to provide any further details.”
That said, Melanie's conditions at Rampton are steadily improving and she is now able to take part in more social activities, such as working in her outdoor garden – a very positive change for her after spending so much time behind bars.
We gently remind everyone that Melanie is doing much better and is making progress, but that she must do things at her own pace and in her own way, as we cannot respond to every letter and request. Melanie thanks everyone for writing and supporting her; it is clear that this support has made a huge difference to her and helped her hang in there during a very dark time. Hospital staff review all letters and this is standard procedure for all patients.
Besides upbeat letters and cards, the best support you can give Melanie at this time is to remain rational and cautious in all your online reports and posts – this will encourage and help the good people in the system who are working so hard to help, and it will also help Melanie.
Melanie will continue to be allowed to visit people whose names are on the visitor's list, as long as the frequency of visits does not negatively impact her treatment routine.
We will provide further updates as soon as possible.
We would like to thank Melanie again for all of the support she has shown us. We believe that by raising awareness of her and her case, we all could have made a huge difference to her situation.
Brian Gerrish
