Freedom well worth the Waite

8:34am Wednesday 1st October 2003

Nearly 13 years ago, hostage Terry Waite was finally freed by terrorist group Islamic Jihad. Last week he was busy out promoting the Greenwich branch of a charity he presides over. JOHN HIGGINSON talked to him about his work ...

ON November 18, 1991, church envoy Terry Waite was finally freed following his kidnap in Beirut.

Envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mr Waite had successfully negotiated the release of several westerners before himself being taken captive in 1987.

Before his capture many of his friends and family tried to warn him about the danger he was putting himself in by negotiating with the extremist group.

Mr Waite, who lives in Blackheath, said: “I don’t regret it.

“I went out knowing the risk but knowing also the church ought to be the last people to walk away from people in difficulty.” Since being released Mr Waite has been writing, lecturing and working with prisoners in jails and young offenders’ institutions.

He said: “I came out of captivity more centred and determined to do what I really wanted to do.

“I would not have had the courage before my kidnap to leave behind a monthly pay cheque to work on my own.

“The best thing about being free is being able to make my own decisions and not being subject to the sometimes perverse will of other people.

“A lot of people say our prisons are much too soft, but the worst you can suffer is to lose your liberty.

“It should be treasured. To protect our own freedom we must protect that of others by creating healthy communities and a free society.” Mr Waite is president of the charity Emmaus UK, which helps homeless people to get back on their feet in small and self-sufficient communities.

He said: “I would like to see an Emmaus community in every major town.

“Emmaus gives people a bed and a reason to get out of that bed.

“When people come into an Emmaus community they come off state support and get help in helping themselves.” Emmaus Greenwich, in Elmley Street, Plumstead, was opened by Prince Charles in 1994.

There are currently 15 people there but the facility is to be expanded to accommodate 24.

As well as living space the facility has workshops and a shop.

Community members repair and sell second-hand furniture and electrical goods donated by members of the public.

There are currently 10 Emmaus communities in the UK and another 16 are planned.

Emmaus communities started in Paris in 1946. There are 200 throughout France.

To donate furniture or electrical goods to the Plumstead shop, which opens between 10am and 5pm from Tuesday to Saturday, call 020 8854 3426.