Martin Wright
In loving memory
and our deepest gratitude to Martin Wright for
his tireless service to Lambeth Mediation over 35 years.
It is with deep sadness that we share that Martin Wright, our founder member and former Chair of the charity, passed away peacefully, on 2nd February 2025 at age 94.
Martin was a leading light in mediation, restorative justice and penal reform and was revered both locally in Lambeth and nationally. He was involved in the earliest days of the charity and worked closely with Greta Brooks MBE, to establish Lambeth Mediation Service in 1990, following the Brixton Riots and Lord Scarman’s Report. Martin was an inspiration to generations of our mediators and worked tirelessly on hundreds of community mediation cases to bring peaceful resolution to the streets of Lambeth.
A life dedicated to peace, justice and restoration, Martin was former Director of the Howard League for Penal Reform and also Policy Officer at Victim Support. One of the earliest advocates of Restorative Justice in UK and Europe, Martin wrote three seminal works Justice for Victims and Offenders: A Restorative Response to Crime (1996), Restoring Respect for Justice: A Symposium, and Making Good: Prisons Punishment and Beyond (2008).
In 2011 Martin was celebrated with an Award for his Outstanding Contribution to restorative justice by the European Forum on Restorative Justice. He was also a founder member of MEDIATION UK where he worked with the late Marion Leibman.
A great advocate for justice locally, Martin worked in partnership with the Safer Lambeth team to set up Lambeth’s Neighbourhood Justice Panels. A restorative justice initiative, this was piloted by Lambeth Mediation Service on behalf of Lambeth Council’s Community Safety Service. The panel brought together those harmed by crime or conflict with those responsible for the harm.
While he was active globally and celebrated nationally, Martin’s heart was very much in the local community. He continued to be an ardent volunteer mediator in Lambeth for over 30 years and also spearheaded our Peace Ambassadors project, bringing together people of different cultures, views and needs to develop conflict resolution and leadership skills. He was a deeply valued member of the LMS team; always sharp, always kind, he had a profound and rare gift where he could work with anyone in the community to cut through into the causes of conflict to inspire trust and a path to peaceful resolution. Martin skilfully shaped the service and continued to provide ongoing support, advice and guidance for hundreds of mediators in Lambeth over three decades. He was present at our last AGM in November 2024, where he was made an Honorary Trustee. We all owe him an enormous debt of gratitude and he remains forever in our thoughts and in our work.
On behalf of all our mediators – past and present – LMS sends its deepest condolences to Lisa and the Wright family.
Rest in Peace
IN MEMORIAM
DR. MARTIN WRIGHT : 1931-2025.
Martin dedicated his life to PEACE, JUSTICE and
RESTORATION.
Martin was Director of the HOWARD LEAGUE OF PENAL REFORM.
He worked as Policy Officer at VICTIM SUPPORT, an organisation that assisted the Victims of Crime.
He was one of the earlier advocate of Restorative Justice in the UK and Europe.
In 2011 he was awarded for his outstanding contributions to restorative justice by the EUROPEAN FORUM ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.
Martin was a founder member of MEDIATION UK working with the late Marion Leibman.
After the “Brixton Riots in the late 1980’s, Martin worked with the late Greta Brooks MBE, in establishing LAMBETH MEDIATION SERVICE. He was a former Chair of LMS.
Although quite active globally, Martin continued to be an ardent practitioner of Mediation in the UK, especially in Lambeth.
He spearheaded the PEACE AMBASSADORS in Lambeth, bringing together people of different cultures to work in developing conflict resolution and leadership skill.
Always an advocate for justice, Martin worked in partnership with the SAFER LAMBETH team to set up LAMBETH NEIGHBOURHOOD JUSTICE PANEL. This was a restorative justice initiative being piloted by Lambeth Mediation Service on behalf of Lambeth Council’s Community Safety Service. The panel brought together those harmed by crime or conflict with those responsible for the harm.
Martin practiced what he preached in his book,
“JUSTICE FOR VICTIM AND OFFENDERS”
Even after officially retiring, Martin continued to mediate between neighbours in dispute. He was always at hand to be Consultant or Advisor. He was present at Lambeth Mediation Service AGM in November 2024, and was made a Honorary Trustee Board member.
A life lived to the full. He will be sadly missed.