For the latest news, click here and check out our posts page
Next Court date: May 29th 2008
This website has been created by the close friends and family of Tom Cholmondeley, who is in Kamiti jail in Kenya. The purpose of it is:
- To give a voice to Tom and those who know and love him
- To publicise what is happening in the trial and Kamiti jail
- To give hope and information to those concerned about Tom and his welfare
Tom has been in prison since May 2006, and his trial started in September 2006. His spirits are very low but he is an honourable man and is doing what needs to be done to bring this trial to some kind of conclusion. Being in jail in any country is tough – Kamiti jail is something else. We do what we can to keep him sane – please do what you can to keep him in your hearts and prayers, and help us raise awareness that all might not seem as simple as some stories have made it out to be.
Read a message from Tom on the Posts page 8th December 2007
The site is created using blogging software, which simply means that you can ‘talk’ to us using the comments buttons on each page. We encourage you to do so as Tom’s mother, Lady Delamere, and girlfriend, Sally Dudmesh, print and take these messages to Tom when they see him.
Please read through all of the information on the other pages to understand what is happening; the Case page will give you the background and the Posts page will have the latest updates from Team Tom. Please keep coming back to see what is happening.
Here is a link to Tom’s case that was aired on Channel 4 news http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/law_order/delamere+case+in+kenyan+court/1145547
JusticeforTom 
Hi Tom we are sending you much love and good energy. Stay strong! You are always in our thoughts. We want you back at Kimberley next year!!! We will stay in touch with you here. Hugs from Ali & boys
Dearest Tom
I think about you often and hope that I will see you soon somewhere! If I can help in any way with the media campaign let me know and sal – do let me know what i can do to help. I’m sorry i was a bit distracted when I saw you in the summer and am currently working in Afghanistan but will be back in a a week or so.
Huge love to you all.
alliexxx
Tom Tom Tom mio carissimo Tom,
what an experience this one is for you…..ufff …..well done for the way you are taking and dealing with it, I’m very proud and impressed about you… beautiful man.
Leonardo Davinci once said : WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN HELL… KEEP WALKING ….. THE PATH WILL ONLY EVER BE AS WIDE AS YOUR FAITH, YOUR FOOTING WILL ONLY EVER BE AS CERTAIN AS YOUR BELIEF AND YOUR COURAGE WILL ONLY EVER BE AS STEADFAST AS YOUR HOPE !……KEEP WALKNG MY FRIEND WITH YOUR HEAD UP, YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT AND WE ALL WELL KNOW THAT… KEEP WALKING WITH YOUR HEAD UP BECAUSE I CAN SEE YOU FREE ONLY!!!
ALL MY LOVE AND HUGE BEAR HUG
CIAO DANIELA
ONCE A DAY I JUMP INTO THE SEA ESPECIALLY FOR YOU…FEEL FRESH AND KEEP WALKING…WITH YOUR HEAD UP… BEAUTIFUL MAN !
Dear Tom,
This period of the trial process is a particularly hard time for you and it must be difficult to see clearly when you are ensconced in Kamiti day after endless day. Don’t ever forget that there are hundreds and hundreds of friends and hundreds more people who admire you for your strength and courage who are sending you good energy. We are there for you and we aren’t going away. I just know that this is going to have a good resolution for you. In your dark hours, hold that thought. Being on your own in your cell must be the worst. Think of us all there with you, coming in one by one, led by Sally. It won’t take long before there are so many people around you that we’ll be spilling out into the corridor and then filling the courtyards and then telling the other inmates to budge over in their cells because the courtyards are full and we will still be coming….. more and more of us. We’ll have to take over the warder’s office and turf them out of their houses because there are so many of us. We’ll be sitting under that big tree outside the entrance and standing around the walls three deep, five, six, seven, fifty deep. That’s how many of us there are supporting you with our prayers and thoughts and actions and faith.
This too will come to pass,
Much love,
Mary Anne Fitzgerald
Hi Tom,
Read about your plight in the Times today, Sunday 2nd December 2007, I wish you the best and hope the truth outs.
keep your head held high and know that people are thinking of you wishing you the best.
If you want a penpal in hants, uk please ask
Best of luck
J
Hello Tom,
As the days turn into weeks and months our prayers grow stronger and more determined. You are alive in all our hearts. There must be moments when this is so difficult to believe or evoke. Just do not forget it! There is a great force of love that flows in your direction.
Stay strong we love you and await your return
Xchristina
Hi Tom, just seen you on the box – all things considered you look like you are holding up well. Few can match you physical and mental strength, and that is what will get you through. Have faith and we’ll be in touch again. x
Tom,
You have just taken up nearly a quarter of time on Channel 4 news (over 11minutes).
The report was for once quite well balanced and put a lot of emphasis on the politics of the case and the forthcoming elections. I can see that the judges are under a lot of “pressure” due to the elections!
You spoke well and looked very smart!
Have had several emails via Tim and Lizzie. Keep your inner strength going and take care.
Lots of love
Mark and Sue
chin up tom – keep believing
Dear Tom
I spoke to Roo last night who told me he’d seen the programme on Channel Four(?). When he gets to London next weekend I’ll get him to dictate a message for you. You are much in his and B’s thoughts. Meanwhile we send love and hope and peaceful thoughts to you. Saty central.
Howdy Tom Chom,
So sorry that the scheduled appeal court session last week didn’t happen because the judges or officials were absent. I do hope you get given another date very soon and it is not delayed too much! Blowing you a kiss to sprinkle you with waterfalls of pretty peaceful Patience for you to use as I’m sure yo needs loads of it!! Camillax
Hiya Tom,
I am alllllllll the way in Paris now. Living here and actually marrying one of them! Can u believe I’d end up doing a thing like that!!!!!!! ha ha ha….. I have still not learnt a word of French… i have my principles!!!
So I have been miles away from Kenya and living in my little bubble over here. But I am always horrified to hear the news that the courtcase has still not progressed and your life is still being held in Neutral. This is NO good at all….. but it seems to me that you have an incredible support network behind you and I feel the times of change are soon to come.
Sending u masses of French kisses….. and hope that brightens up your day!! big hugs Hil XX
Dear Tom,
My name is Ginny Moffett. I am a friend of Sally’s and when living in Kenya used to teach her Yoga. I saw your story on Channel 4 News which prompted me to write to you and to send you a book via the Prison Phoenix Trust for whom I teach in prisons here in the UK. We all hold you in our hearts and in our prayers. The book is being sent via a friend who is travelling out to Kenya next week and will deliver it to Sally. I hope you find it helpful and should you like any further reading, please let us know.
Love and Light,
Ginny
Where there is life there is hope
Hi Tom
I am thinking of you and hoping this goes your way. Hope to catch up next time I am home.
Kindest regards
Roy
We went to see Tom this afternoon, lugging a large cup of coffee, and a shopping bag of books,magazines, ham, smelly blue cheese, coffee and broccoli. I’m afraid the cheese will do nothing for the atmousphere in his cell, but he asked for it! He was in good form (in a frightful washed-out old purple shirt which has gone through at the elbows) and delighted to see magazines – he says his fellow prisoners have so little to read that they don’t mind how many years old the magazines are. At last I have found a good home for years of old glossies and the local secondary school will just have to do without the old New Scientists for a bit. I wonder if the Marie Claires will be confiscated as pornography!
HI TOM!…………JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE LOVE YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU AND WANT YOU HOME!!!!……………..ALL THE WAY FROM ATLANTA WITH ALL THE LOVE!
I met Tom in Norwich many years ago and although he does not know it we are distant relatives through our great -great-great-grandfather. After living in Africa for over 30 years I know what he must going through, and my only consolation for Tom is that justice will prevail and we have confidence and will thank the Lord when he will be released and returns to live in England where his real roots are. I was taught by my grandfather that “Africa is for the Africans”. This is a basic truth that I have learned to live by and I hope Tom realizes the same fact. Best wishes Tom and a safe return home to England.
We have just heard that Tom’s appeal hearing will be on February 26th., 2008. This is the day after the Appeal Court returns to sit in Nairobi, and gives us a date to pace our lives by. Sally is very disappointed it couldn’t be in January, but the rest of us are thankful that it is only a few weeks away, rather than another five months!
Message from Tom. He is extremely grateful to Team Tom and to everyone kind enough to send him encouraging messages and keep him up to date with the big wide world outside Kamiti. He wished you all a Happy Christmas, and hopes that all of us will have a really special 2008.
We went to see Tom on Christmas Day with all the food and fruit he’d asked for, so that he could have a party with the other nine remandees in his block – he is missing all the hustle and bustle of a normal Christmas! Due to a prison break from another prison, the security at the door was very busy – men with guns and ladies with metal detectors. They missed Hugh’s Swiss Army Knife, but went mad over roast chicken and roast potatoes wrapped in tin-foil – I had to unawrap them one by one with the guns pointing at me! Tom was in good order, but we were only allowed to see him for ten minutes, and no one else was allowed in, which was dreary for him.
Dear Tom and all at Soysambu
I’ve been thinking of you and hope that all is as well as can be. This site will be great for keeping up to date with developments
I’ve had such fun over the years on the ranch with you and your parents, I only hope that it isn’t too long before we can do it all again!
There is a huge amount of support for you out here.
Chin up
See you soon
Bennet
Good friends braved the riots and road-blocks to visit Tom as soon as all the public holidays came to an end and he was allowed visitors again. Bless them, they took food parcels with them, for which he was very grateful indeed, because supply lorries hadn’t been getting through to the prison, and all the prisoners were hungry. Refugees swammped the prison officers” compound at one stage, but all has now calmed down there, and Tom is busy listening to the wireless and the television trying to find out what is going on – just like all the rest of us! There is a shortage of fuel country-wide, so there is a shortage of almost everything else up-country, and I don’t think we will be able to rustle up enough petrol to get to Nairobito visit Tom just yet.
All the best to Tom from John at the Daily Mail, writing a piece tonight about the case which hopefully will keep Tom’s plight in the public eye.Fingers crossed for February hearing. Will the current turmoil have any bearing on the case? J
Tom
Good to see you the other day man will try come and see you again sometime in the near future till then keep well
Salaams
Dear Tom and family,
My sincerest admiration for your endurance and attitude under such trying circumstances. All my best hopes and wishes for a positive outcome in 2008. Keep your chin up Tom! So many people obviously care about you! C.
I have just heard from Fred’s side-kick, James Muthui, that yeserday ,they received confirmation that Tom’s Appeal will be heard on February 26th., as planned.
Left a message in December, hope it got through. I continue to think of you often, remembering many happy times with you and your family. I am sending all love and great hopes and prayers that come February all will be sorted. All love and support to you dear parents who must let me know if I can help at all. You are a big man, in all ways, please hold on. Lots of love Rebecca Lawson-Tancred (was Barclay!)
We went to see Tom on Wednesday. He is well but bored, and says the time seems to be passing very slowly. There has been no trouble in the prison – and we encountered no trouble on the outskirts of Nairobi or on the almost deserted Transafrican Highway home, but he is feeling very semi-detatched, shut away from the whole Kenya crisis.
All the best. Thinking of you.
Was it really as mad as that?
Those crazy times of youthful chat,
made nuts by homemade ginger wine –
tasting (with more sugar and by the 10th small bottle) fine?
Driving grinning, one eyed, lightless
through Cotswold crossroads, totally sightless
Cooking sprats on cigarette lighters
‘Whose bum?’ games through sheets? We might as
well admit it now seems pretty tame –
the mushrooms on toast, Under-the-table Game,
the taps on bonnets, the awful sonnets,
And your driving Tom, Jesus Christ, what fun it
Was.
But was it mad? Was it (censored) b****cks!
It was nothing more than youthful frollocks
And though I often remember and giggle
at your crap poems (that were too awful to be legal)
What was that one? Was it about pies?
I know it ended “Wasn’t that nize?”
I just recall your cheeky smile
Smoking from the side, with style
Not.
But no, it doesn’t compare to now.
This is madness, yes and how.
But mad is good, Tom, mad is life!
Your book will sell – hot butter, knife.
Especially now.
You’ll have to shorten this bit of course
Rather dull, no action or sauce
But when we’re sixty looking back
This’ll be a blink amongst the stack
Of glorious nonsense, of adventurous drivvle
Mongolian rapids, paragliding and sex will give’ll
those hungry readers what they need
and you, the life you deserve, indeed.
Tom the Glorious
Tom the Brave
You’ll be victorious
Just behave
hum a lot
and be patient.
Hello to you Tom, I have been following your news in the press and online and I recogonise a few names in the postings. You might remember our trips from Cirencester to the rowing lake in your Morris Ital estate. I have some happy memeories of those times when we were all making new friendships. I seem to remember your ironic take on the car mascot – a hot and cold tap on the bonnet.
I hope things work out OK for you.
May the inner strength of your ancestors flow through you and may common sense prevail in a mans right to bear arms to protect his family, property & self. I look forward to the autobiography! England & the civilsed world is watching Kenya very closely….how can we invest and build bridges when leaders like you are treated like common criminals? Think again Kenya.
Tom borrowed Sally’s telephone to ring me from the cells below the Court House yesterday. He told me that the next “Mention” will be on March 12th, by which time the Appeal Court Judges will have given their verdict as to whether or not, contary to the Constitution, the Defence have to provide the Prosecution with written reports of the evidence that they are going to bring. As Easter is very early this year, it seems unlikely that the case will have time to continue before the Judiciary’s Easter Recess. With luck, we are looking at early May for the defence to get its say. Poor Tom is not a happy bunny – he has broken his glasses and needs an eye test before he gets a new pair, and his adored aeroplane has been crashed and written off by the poor chap who was renting it.
James Muthui tells me that the Easter Vacation will be from March 13th to April !st., so Tom’s “Mention” has only just squeaked in to this session.
Tom, my son George wants you to have this:
Two men discovered a magic slide, which gave it’s users anything they asked for to land in. The first said “Gold” and he duly landed in a pile of coins. The second said “Silver” and was similarly delighted to be buried in valuable treasure.
Whilst they were stuffing their pockets with coins, neither noticed a small child climbing the ladder. They looked up together as they heard the poor little chap shouting “weeeee”.
xR
Tom
Back in the land of no stars and toxic sunsets, everyone is very much interested in how you are doing, and how the unrest may affect your case. I will give this website to anyone who asks….
Thinking of you every day
G
Guy Combes was kind enough to send me the link to this website. We met at the opening reception weekend of the Bennington Center for the Arts “Art and the Animal Kingdom XII” show last June, in which I was fortunate enough to have two of my paintings.
I was one of the fortunate artists who visited Soysambu on what turned out to be his father Simon’s last artist’s safari in Oct. 2004. I have never forgotten our wonderful visit there and the gracious hospitality of Lord and Lady Delamere. We did not get to meet Tom, but I have tried, since news of it first came out and without much success until now, to follow the case. Please tell him that he is in my thoughts, although I live far away in northern California. I sincerely hope that I will be able to visit Soysambu again someday. It is such a special place.
We have just got back from Nairobi – we went to see Tom on Tuesday, bearing a roast chicken with all the trimmings from Muthaiga Country Club, because he is getting so tired of prison food. There is a limit to what he can do to spice up maize meal, beans and kale. Time is hanging heavily on his hands, with the Court of Appeal on the 26th February – and then we all have to wait till March 12th for their verdict. The Judiciary go on their Easter Recess on March 13th- so the case won’t go on again until April at the earliest.
Hi Tom
My last missive to you was rejected by the word smith.
If you can read this then you are either not too blind or someone else has lent you there glasses, yes i have heard, I will get you a pair from Boots if you like and send them to Ann.
We are now counting down the days until your next court visit, if justice is to prevail, you will be well served, if not, AAAh!
Dear Tom,
You are in my thoughts – a long way from Little Boltons Flat – your enormous strength of character must be being tried to breaking – but even this will pass.
Recently re-read ‘An Evil Cradling’ Brian Keenan’s account of his hostage years in Lebanon – he used his dark sense of humour to get through.
I look forward to the day when we meet again, and see some of the beauty in this world, far from where you are now. I am sure you can see it in your mind’s eye….
very best
Max
Tom, dear fellow. It seems a long time since the minx Camilla filled 11E Porchester Square with Africans – one of them yourself. There’s some blurry pics somewhere of your great height barely avoiding the long steel beam that holds up my ceiling. That was a good time, and good times will come round again – I feel sure of it. I do think of you often, and how you are doing, and so do many others – do not in dark moments imagine that this is not the case. If I can help in any small (or large!) way, Sal just has to ask. hb
Tom, It has been a very long time but after talking with Dominik last night, felt I must write. My thoughts are wth you, be stong, loose yourself in your dreams and hopefully you will be extinguishing flaming sambucas on your buttock cheeks again before we know it. xxxx
Tom, good luck for the hearing, will get the local candomble priest/dancers to perform something special at this end… Hoping that the chaos outside is not infecting the inside of Kamiti. Can we send books, more magazines etc? Get Sal or your mum to post something on the site if there is an address… Thinking of you as ever Matt
Dearest Tom,
I do hope you are holding up well enough. I am now back in Australia for the while but I do really miss our chats and random ramblings around the farm. Hoping all goes well with your appeal. Hope to see you soon my friend. If there is anything I can send to help pass the time – please let me know. Take care Tom and love to all my Soysambu friends.
Yates
Tom and all at Team Tom,
Will be thinking of you all on Tuesday – good luck.
Sorry to read about the fires at Soysambu and hope they have died down now.
Mark and Sue
Tom
Sorry not been in touch before but have been following the case in the newspaper and on the news.
Fingers crossed for the hearing tomorrow and hope to see you back at Soysambu where you should be…
Chania
Tom suddenly realised it is perfectly exceptable on your website to fill you in on our lives in Sussex, just hope its not to dull….
I know have a little girl Molly Yvette (named after Mum of course) born (don’t laugh) on Friday 13th April 2007 little madam was sue on April Fools day but decided to keep me waiting for 2 weeks. Molly is a very sunny little girl and takes after my Mum lots. We are know living in Uckfield and I see Sally ever now and then.
Brandon has a second daughter Imogen born in Decemebr 2006, unfortunatly his marriage ended in June 07 after 2 years. Brandon took it all very badly at first but is doing well now and a lot more settled… I know he thinks of Kenya, Soysambu and all our happy memories often. You, Sally, Ann and Hugh always made us feel so welcome and we have such wonderful memories that are very cherished.
Rememebr we are all thinking of you
Dominque
Fred is trying very hard to get a date sooner than May 29th & 30th, but has not succeeded so far, so we are looking at another three month before the Tom’s Appeal is heard. How long we will have to wait for dates for the Defence remains to be seen – it all seems never-ending.
Hi Ann and Tom
I hardly know what to say beyond i hope that nothing gets worse and you will soon be able to extinguish flaming sambuccas again, I knew you were multi talented, it runs in the family , but thats an eye opener I’ll say, or even a burning sensation.
Small joke .
women is rummaging in freezer looking for bigger turkey, sees assistant and says do these turkeys get any bigger, he replies “no sorry they are dead.”
Dearest Tom,
Hope you are OK and the next court hearing on May 29th brings PROGRESS!!! Stef and I and all our mamas spent a gorgeous weekend at Soysambu with Sal. We saw, heard and smelt thousands of pelicans nursing their babies on the lake, it was amazing! I am coming to see you next week! mingi kisses Camilla
Hope you Ok Tom. You’ve gotta come and hear me play asap my sax — I’m AWFUL!!
Very sorry it has taken me so long to report on Tom’s Mention on Wednesday – I’ve an abcess under a tooth, and a walloping go of flu, and we’ve had another 1500 acres of the farm burnt – this time it was arson, and we are unamused! The news for Tom is that his Appeal will now be heard on May 26th/27th – the begining of the week, instead of the end – and his next “Mention” will be on June 10th, by which time we pray for the decison of the Appeal Court, and to know when the Defence can start. Poor Tom has worn out the seat of his pants sitting on those endless hard wooden benches in court – Sally has had them darned, but the darn is rubbing him raw, so a new suit is necessary and will appear at the end of May!
Our thoughts are with you , please send our best wishes to Tom.
Hallo Tom – the past two years have been so hard for you. In the outside world of your existence, there are hundreds hoping and praying for your safe return, after a just and final conclusion has been reached.
It seems like the ‘power outside you’ is so heavy and so cruel, that I am praying that the ‘power inside you’ can get you through all this nightmare.
I can only think of Mandela, who got through the hideous years and cruel punishment, and emerged as the man the world most admires, respects and changed entire nations.
All is possible, I know, but it is the actual coping of it, turning it around and surviving it all that requires super-human strengths.
I send you love, good energy and support mentally, from Cairns in Australia.Nigel and Shelly have two kids now. A boy, Olllie aged 10 and a half and a girl Georgie, ages 7. They live in Perth and I am fortunate to see them two or three times a year.
Lisa and Stu have a little girl, Samara, aged 9 months and live in Cairns, near me.
They all send best thoughts and wishes.
Love and caring thoughts
POSY
XX
Hey there Tom,
Hang in there buddy.. its just a matter of time, You;re in our prayers.
Keep the faith, yeah brother.
Much luv, and support,
Always,
Samira.