On this week's episode of On The Mend, Matt is joined by the journalist, presenter, author and podcaster Raphael Rowe.

Raphael was wrongly convicted of a crime in the late 1980s, and spent 12 years in prison. During that time, he never gave up trying to prove his innocence and never gave up hope, even in the darkest of times.

Since being acquitted and released, Raphael has gone on to work for the BBC as a reporter on Radio 4 and regularly appears on The One Show. He hosts 'Inside The World's Toughest Prisons' on Netflix and his own podcast, 'Second Chance'.

He talks to Matt about his time in prison (and in solitary confinement), how exercise and yoga helped him get through the days and how he eventually got the authorities to listen to his appeal.

His memoir 'Notorious' talks about some of his darkest times and questions the justice system in the UK, which he also touches on in this episode.

They also discuss hope and the power of having the mental strength to get through hard times.

You can hear more from Raphael on his own podcast, Second Chance

And you can read more about the Raphael Rowe Foundation, here

If you have been affected by anything you have heard in this episode, there are some links to organisations who might be able to help you below.

Samaritans

Talking Therapies

Drug Addicts Anonymous

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