Passionate about Jesus,

mission and social justice

Nathan Ward is an Anglican Priest who has spent the last 20yrs working in various community and custodial settings. He is passionate about mission and has undertaken several studies on Church growth. He has founded two charities and continues to work and speak on issues of social justice. He is married with two children and is a magician in his spare time — using the creative arts to tell people about Jesus.

what is a Priest?

Priests are called to be servants and shepherds among the people to whom they are sent and heralds of Christ's kingdom. With their Bishop and fellow ministers, they are to proclaim the word of the Lord and to watch for the signs of God's new creation. They are to work with their fellow members in searching out the poor and weak, the sick and lonely and those who are oppressed and powerless, reaching into the forgotten corners of the world, that the love of God may be made visible.

With all God's people, they are to tell the story of God's love. They are to baptize new disciples and walk with them in the way of Christ, nurturing them in the faith. They are to unfold the Scriptures, to preach the word and to declare the mighty acts of God. They are to preside at the Lord's table and lead his people in worship, praise and thanksgiving. They are to bless the people in God's name. They are to resist evil, support the weak, defend the poor, and intercede for all in need. They are to minister to the sick and prepare the dying for their death. Guided by the Spirit, they are to discern and foster the gifts of all God's people, that the whole Church may be built up in unity and faith.

biography

Born in 1980 in Chatham (Kent), Nathan was educated at Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester, where he studied GCSEs and A-Levels. From there, he went to Durham University, where he studied for his first degree in Community and Youth Work Studies. For 13 years, he worked in custodial settings for a multi-national security company, becoming head of an immigration removal centre. He focused mainly on working in settings where there were young people and, in 2007, was given a National Youth Justice Award by the Attorney General. During this period, he became a lay youth minister, also undertaking some work in a local parish church. At this time he completed a Master’s Degree in Security and Risk Management at the University of Leicester.

In 2010, following the birth of his first child Nathan founded The 139 Club. This was in response to the growing need for accessible information and courses to help prepare people for childbirth. It gained charity status in 2015.

In 2011, after sensing a call from God, Nathan started training for ordination at the South East Institute for Theological Education, now St Augustine's College of Theology. He took a Foundation Degree in Theology for Christian Ministry at Canterbury Christ Church University and later undertook a BA in Theology for Christian Ministry at Durham University. Throughout this training, he took a particular interest in mission and evangelism and had a paper published on church growth.

He was ordained Deacon in 2014 in the Diocese of Rochester, serving his curacy as a self-supporting minister in the Parish of Holy Trinity South Chatham. During this time, following his passion for mission and evangelism, Nathan founded the Big Story Trust, which uses the creative arts to proclaim the Good News, equip Christians through training and provide them with resources to tell the Big Story of God.

Outside of the church, Nathan has academic expertise in physical restraint, deaths in custody and cultures of abuse in residential settings.

His interests include illusions (he is a member of the Magic Circle), model railways and playing the piano.

He is married to Kayleigh and has a son and a daughter.

Chronology

Born 1980

Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School 1991 - 1998

University of Durham, BA Hons, Community and Youth Work Studies 1998 - 2001

Youth and Community Worker at St Justus Church 2001 - 2004

Chaplain at Medway Secure Training Centre 2001 - 2007

Corporate Magician 2001 - 2007

Enrichment Manager at Medway Secure Training Centre 2007 - 2011

University of Leicester, MSc in Security and Risk Management 2010 - 2012

Head of Children's Services at Gatwick Immigration Removal Centres 2011 - 2012

Christ Church Canterbury University, Foundation Degree in Theology for Christian Ministry 2011 - 2014

Head of Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre 2012 - 2014

Head of Care and Justice for Diagrama UK 2014 - 2017

Deacon 2014, Priest 2015

Honary Curate, Holy Trinity South Chatham 2014 - 2017

Head of Professional Standards for Diagrama UK - 2018

Vicar of St Margaret's Rainham (Kent) 2018 - present

Immigration

Nathan has worked within custodial organisations for over fifteen years gaining experience in this country and abroad. His specific interests are in relation to how people are dehumanised within institutions which he believes is an unhelpful coping mechanism for staff as it paves the way all too often for abuse to occur. He has studied over 156 deaths in custody (worldwide) which were linked to physical restraint, the youngest being a seven-year-old girl in America. He has trained people in physical restraint and conflict resolution and has consulted on both subjects.

England is the only EU member state not to have a time limit on immigration detention. It places people without judicial process into immigration removal centres on occasions for over two years. That is why Nathan has called on the Government to:

1. Bring an immediate end to indefinite detention, capping it at 28 days

2. Have the judiciary authorise detention over 72hours in length

3. Adopt an immigration policy that has a de-emphasis on detention as it is costly and largely in-effective

Brook House Panorama

Kent priest in BBC documentary speaks of ‘shocking’ detention centre abuse

· Panorama, Undercover: Britain’s Immigration Secrets

A Kent priest is calling for an end to the indefinite detention of people in the immigration system after Panorama uncovered systematic abuse at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.

Revd Nathan Ward worked for over 14 years as a manager for G4S, is an expert in the use of force, and has been a consultant to HM Prisons. He contributed to the Panorama documentary, which will air this evening at 9pm on BBC1. The film features covert footage recorded at Brook House showing officers "mocking, abusing and assaulting" people being held there.

Panorama says it has seen "widespread self-harm and attempted suicides" in the centre, and that drug use is "rife".

Mr Ward is a self-supporting priest in the parish of Holy Trinity South Chatham.

Speaking about the documentary, he said: “The abuse uncovered by the Panorama team - along with the wider failures of the immigration system - is shocking, even to those who understand this system. This isn’t a case of ‘a few rotten apples’. Instead it reveals only the tip of the iceberg - this demanding, specialised work cannot solely be the responsibility of £10-an-hour workers. It stands to reason that that we should now be asking what is happening in other detention centres up and down the country and - most importantly - what the Government should be doing about it.”

The UK is the only country in the EU which does not set a legal limit on the length of immigration detention. Routinely people are not told when they will be detained or how long for. People might be detained just for a few weeks - or for months or years.

“I call on the Government today to bring an immediate end to indefinite detention setting an upper limit of 28 days,” added Nathan. “The judiciary should be required to authorise any detention longer than 72 hours and the Government should develop an immigration policy that has a de-emphasis on detention. This is not about immigration; it is about ending inhumane practices which are expensive and infective. The UK is a developed nation with high standards - we must demand better than this for our detention centres.”

Mr Ward was joined in this call by Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Revd James Langstaff, who serves as Bishop to Prisons. Bishop James said: “Based on the news coverage so far around this programme it would seem that this documentary raises serious questions, not just of those who run our immigration detention centres, but more crucially about how we as a society treat people that we don’t know what to do with. Those featured in the documentary are human beings with friends, families, and personal stories. And yet the alleged treatment they have received can only be described as inhumane. This system fails not only those directly affected by it, but it fails us as a nation.”

statement prior to public inquiry report

Revd Nathan Ward, Core Participant and Former Senior G4S Manager, Calls for Systemic Reform Ahead of Brook House Inquiry Report

"The Brook House Inquiry has been an unflinching journey into the depths of despair and injustice. It has unearthed disturbing evidence of inhumanity and degrading treatment of immigration detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre in 2017," says Revd Nathan Ward, a core participant in the forthcoming report.

This shocking abuse, initially concealed, came to light through the courageous actions of Detention Centre Officer Callum Tulley, who bravely blew the whistle alongside Panorama's undercover reporting [View Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fp0QLDKgME].

With the Inquiry set to release its long-awaited report on September 19, 2023, at noon, Revd Nathan Ward emphasises, "We hope this report will be a damning indictment of a system that has failed its most vulnerable detainees. It is a clear call for immediate and sweeping reforms."

The Inquiry, which has been a beacon of hope for those who have suffered within the immigration detention system, faced initial challenges when it was established as a non-statutory Inquiry in 2018. However, following a judicial review in favour of two detainees in 2019, it was rightfully converted into a Public Inquiry. Revd Nathan Ward states, "The fact that this Inquiry was initially non-statutory speaks volumes about the systemic apathy towards the plight of detainees."

The evidence collected paints a grim picture. "We have seen violence against detainees during removal, often targeting those who are mentally ill," Ward remarks. "The culture of dehumanisation, xenophobia, and racism within the system is inescapable. The Home Office and G4S, the institution's custodians, must answer for their actions."

Moreover, the Inquiry raises unsettling questions about the Home Office. Ward continues, "On the evidence that has been presented , the Home Office will face serious questions about institutional racism and gross incompetence. It's a stain on our nation's conscience that cannot be ignored."

As we eagerly await the report, Ward stresses, "We must reflect not only on the damning findings but also on the broader implications. The government's recent expansion of detention powers through the Illegal Migration Act and the increasing detention estate in response to Channel boat crossings raise grave concerns about the human cost and conditions faced by those detained."

Revd Nathan Ward, a former senior G4S manager turned whistleblower, and a core participant in this Inquiry, concludes, "This report is a watershed moment, and it is imperative that the government acts swiftly and decisively. We must ensure that no one else suffers the same inhumane treatment."

For additional information, please contact:

Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Solicitor Lewis Kett

Phone: 07415 992347

statement following public inquiry report

DAMNING BROOK HOUSE INQUIRY REPORT UNVEILS HORRORS OF IMMIGRATION DETENTION

Reverend Nathan Ward Exposes a Culture of Dehumanization and Racism that went unchallenged and unchecked

Calls for Immediate Action to Eradicate Abuse and act upon the recommendations of the Inquiry to introduce a 28-day time limit on detention Establish a 28-Day Detention Limit

19th September 2023:

Today marks a dark chapter in our nation's history as the long-awaited Brook House Inquiry Report is unveiled. Reverend Nathan Ward, a core participant in this harrowing inquiry, writes with a heavy heart, burdened by the grim truths that have been unearthed.

"We cannot and must not ignore the systemic brutality and racism that has thrived within the walls of Brook House."

The report, a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice, reveals an alarming culture of dehumanization that has festered, unchecked, for far too long. The Chair has found that Brook House became a” breeding ground for racist views”, where individuals were emboldened to express their prejudices without fear of consequence. It is a stain on our collective conscience that such an environment was allowed to flourish.

"The heart-wrenching accounts of 19 incidents of inhumane and degrading treatment can never be erased from our memory."

This report exposes the widespread unlawful use of force, often disproportionately targeted at vulnerable individuals grappling with mental health problems. We must ask ourselves how a society that purports to champion human rights could permit such atrocities to occur within its borders.

"We demand justice, not only for the victims of abuse but for the values we claim to hold dear."

The Brook House Inquiry Report calls for establishing a 28-day statutory time limit on detention, a critical step towards preventing further suffering and preserving the dignity of those detained. This limit is not only humane but necessary to ensure that we do not perpetuate the culture of impunity that has allowed these horrors to persist.

"Our silence in the face of injustice is complicity; it is time for us to break the cycle of abuse and neglect."

Additionally, the report shines a glaring spotlight on a dysfunctional senior management team, whose negligence and indifference have perpetuated this culture of cruelty. It is a damning indictment of their leadership, or rather, their lack thereof. The report also highlights that some of the key staff involved have since been promoted to senior positions within Brook House. The Home Office holds ultimate responsibility and has fundamentally failed in their role to ensure lawful and humane treatment.

"It is an abdication of our moral duty to allow this culture to remain unaddressed, festering in the shadows."

Let us be clear: the culture of dehumanization documented in this report did not vanish with the publication of its findings. It continues to haunt the corridors of detention centres across the country, leaving countless souls in its wake. We cannot afford to look the other way.

"We must be the voice of the voiceless, the defenders of the defenceless, and the champions of human dignity."

Today, I call upon our government and our society to act swiftly and decisively on implementing the recommendations of this report. Unlike previous reports and recommendations, this must be acted upon. We must heed the lessons of the Brook House Inquiry Report and ensure that such atrocities never happen again. Our moral obligation is to dismantle this culture of cruelty for the sake of our shared humanity.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Summary of Brook House Inquiry Findings

1. The Chair of the Brook House Inquiry was tasked with examining allegations of inhuman and degrading treatment within a snapshot period of four months during 2017 when one officer was able to undertake covert filming with the help of Panorama to give a unique insight into the abuse and mistreatment of detainees.
   
2. The Chair has made one principal recommendation of significance which is that there should be a maximum period of immigration detention of 28 days to bring the UK within comparable norms for civilised countries.
   
3. The Chair explicitly rejected any suggestion that the findings of extensive violence, inhuman and degrading treatment was the consequence of the actions of a small number of people. She has roundly rejected that analysis as presented by the Home Office and G4S at the inquiry.
   
4. The following are the key findings.:
1. The Chair found that there were 19 incidents- at least one a week- amounting to inhuman or degrading treatment. These incidents included considerable violence, humiliation and degradation of detainees. It is important to understand that the inquiry was not able to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the state of immigration detention. It was able – several years after the events- to examine only a small sample in detail. It analysed allegations of mistreatment of 13 different individuals from a total of around 3,000 people held in detention in Brook House during the five month period. Notwithstanding the very small sample size, the Inquiry displays an extraordinary scale of abuse and mistreatment.
   
2. The Chair found that “the entire safeguarding system in a number of areas to be dysfunctional” (para 40, page 9). The law and practice around removal from association was “routinely misunderstood, misinterpreted and misapplied by both G4S and the Home Office” and that “this confusion and potential misunderstanding persists under Serco” (para 38, page 9 and Vol II, page 347 para 36). Misuses of segregation were a matter of serious concern(para 38, p.9). There were 241 cases of isolation (removal from association under rule 40) in the five month period under examination (Vol II page 346, para 34). The Chair found that in at least 237 of those cases, the use of isolation was not properly authorised. She found that the confusion appears to be continuing under Serco.
   
3. There was a misuse of force against 11 of the 13 detainees whose cases were examined in detail and pain was deliberately and unnecessarily inflicted on four of them during the inappropriate use of force (page 4, para 15.2). Force was misused against naked people (para 43, p.10): 3 of the 13 detainees were forcibly removed from their cells while naked or near naked (page 4, para 15.2). Force was misused against mentally ill detainees (see Vol. II, page 155). Monitoring and oversight was inadequate and led to dangerous situations” (Vol II. Page 158). Misuse of force included the choking incident on D1527 that featured in Panorama, but for which footage extending to 28 minutes was visible; the use of restraint techniques such as handcuffing behind the back that were found in the Mubenga Inquest to be dangerous (2010) continue to be used.
   
4. The Chair found “serious failings in the application of rule 34 and 35” (para 32, page 8) a wholesale failure in processes designed to protect vulnerable detainees like suicidal people and torture victims from being detained, or from mistreatment while in detention, particularly in relation to suicidal people. She found healthcare did not understand their obligations towards detained individuals and failed to appreciate their key safeguarding role (para 50, p.11). Vol II page 343, para 29 “This safeguard was not operating effectively at the outset of detention in 2017 and evidence indicated that this remained the case at the time of the Inquiry’s hearings”. Para 33 “The inquiry has not received any evidence of fundamental changes since 2017”.
   
5. The Chair found “explicit racism” (Vol II, page 227. Para 41) and “found considerable evidence of racist beliefs and abuse by staff at Brook House”((para 89, page 243) She found that while it was not within her scope to examine institutional racism, that “Brook House appears to have been a breeding ground for racist views in the relevant period and was perceived as an acceptable environment in which to express them”. See also para 55, p.12. The Chair was “Particularly concerned by the lack of reflection by some of those who remain working in Brook House,a number of whom are now in more senior roles. It inevitably casts doubt on how far the cultural changes described by Serco can be said to have been embedded. There is more to do”. See also para 87- 88: “othering”.
   
6. The Chair found a culture of dehumanisation, of “us and them” (Vol II page 229).
   
7. There are relentless accounts of racist; homophobic and other degrading language. (para 15.8- homophobic). In many cases such language was intensified during times when detainees were self-harming or attempting suicide.
   
8. Lengthy lock-ins detrimental to mental and physical well-being were driven by financial incentives connected to lower staffing levels (para 30 page 7).
   
9. The prime responsibility lay with the Home Office and its contractor G4S, yet there was alarming reliance on monitoring by volunteers at IMB when the kind of behaviour. The Home Office accepted it did not sufficiently resource staff to monitor its contract (para 21 page 5). Her findings closely mirrored those of previous investigations: the problems have persisted for many years and continue. There is, as the Chair said, much to do.
   
5. It is a sign of a truly civilised society that this inquiry has taken place and brought into the open on what the Chair called the “hidden places” of our society. The Core Participant detainees commend and thank the Chair and her team for all their work over the past three years.Their scrupulous devotion to bringing to light these abuses is in stark contrast to the actions of G4S and the Home Office who are still yet to apologise to the detainees for any of the wrongdoing exposed by this inquiry.
   

Christian reflection on public inquiry

Brook House Inquiry Exposes Shocking Realities of Immigration Detention

Reverend Nathan Ward Sheds Light on Unchecked Dehumanization and Racism

Urgent Call for Immediate Action and Implementation of 28-Day Detention Limit

London, UK - 19th September 2023:

Today, a sombre cloud hangs over our nation as we confront the distressing revelations unveiled in the long-awaited Brook House Inquiry Report. Reverend Nathan Ward, a central figure in this profound investigation, addresses the heart-wrenching truths that have come to light with a heavy heart.

"The systemic brutality and racism thriving within Brook House demand our unwavering attention and action," Reverend Ward declares, reflecting on his experiences and Christian convictions regarding immigration.

This comprehensive report, a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice, exposes an alarming culture of dehumanization that has festered unchecked for an unacceptable duration. The inquiry's Chair has concluded that Brook House became a "breeding ground for racist views," as Reverend Ward witnessed firsthand during his involvement.

"The heart-wrenching accounts of 19 incidents of inhumane and degrading treatment can never be erased from our memory," Reverend Ward continues, emphasizing the urgency for societal reflection and compassion in the face of these horrors.

This report brings to light the widespread and unlawful use of force, often disproportionately targeting vulnerable individuals grappling with mental health challenges. It compels us to question how a society that claims to uphold human rights could have allowed such atrocities within its borders.

"This report should be of paramount importance to the church today," Reverend Ward asserts, "If we want to see the face of Jesus today, then we could start by heading to Brook House, and looking into the faces of those held in our detention centres. These disempowered human beings are made in the image of God. In many ways, they are Jesus in human flesh."

"When we serve the abused, the oppressed, the powerless, we serve Jesus," Reverend Ward continues, invoking his faith-based call for compassion and justice. "When we defend the rights of the refugee, the unjustly imprisoned, the tortured, the mocked, we are standing up for Jesus because he went through all these experiences too."

The Brook House Inquiry Report urgently calls for establishing a 28-day statutory time limit on detention—a critical step to prevent further suffering and uphold the dignity of those detained. This limit is not just an act of humanity; it is necessary to dismantle the culture of impunity that has allowed these horrors to persist.

"Our silence in the face of injustice is complicity; it is time for us to break the cycle of abuse and neglect," Reverend Ward emphasizes, urging the government and society to heed the lessons of the Brook House Inquiry Report.

Moreover, the report casts a stark light on a dysfunctional senior management team whose negligence and indifference have perpetuated this culture of cruelty. This is a damning indictment of their leadership or the lack thereof. The report also exposes the disturbing fact that some key staff members have been promoted to senior positions within Brook House. The Home Office, as the ultimate authority, has fundamentally failed in its duty to ensure lawful and humane treatment.

"It is a dereliction of our moral duty to allow this culture to remain unaddressed, festering in the shadows," Reverend Ward underscores, invoking his faith-based call for a compassionate and just approach to immigration.

Let it be unequivocally clear: the culture of dehumanization depicted in this report has not disappeared with its publication. It continues to haunt detention centers across the nation, leaving countless souls in its wake. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye.

"We must be the voice of the voiceless, the defenders of the defenseless, and the champions of human dignity," Reverend Ward concludes, underscoring the timeless relevance of Christian values in addressing this critical issue.

Today, we call upon our government and society to act swiftly and decisively in implementing the recommendations of this report. Unlike previous reports and recommendations, this must not be shelved. We must heed the lessons of the Brook House Inquiry Report and ensure that such atrocities never occur again. Our moral obligation is to dismantle this culture of cruelty for the sake of our shared humanity.

Get in touch nathan@nathan-ward.com