Award Winners 2008 / 2009

Tom Logue has consistently demonstrated great leadership in managing the Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Service within the Northern Ireland Prison Service. His work and attention to detail has ensured a smooth handover from the outside contractor to NIPS. As a result, significant savings have been made and used in other areas of the service, improving overall security.

The Psychology team at HMP Littlehey have developed two examples of work being taken forward to the national stage. The Enhanced Thinking Skills database and the sex offenders deniers strategy have been developed by a team that is highly regarded and respected both at Littlehey and nationally.

The Sefton Tower Prolific and other Priory Offender Team targets the 60 most prolific offenders in the local community, bringing together a multi-agency team to provide intensive support and supervision to address their needs and tackle their offending behaviour. This is an innovative scheme with promising early results.

This creative and high quality interpretation of national policy - which has been recognised by the Prime Minister - involves a multi-agency partnership providing intensive supervision and support for the most prolific offenders. And early indications suggest a significant impact on offending.

Craig has led the way in ground breaking work to support gay offenders and staff at HMP Wakefield which he undertakes in addition to his full time role as an Offender Supervisor. His role as GALIPS coordinator has earned him a nationally recognised award from the staff support group and his work is unique throughout the High Security estate.

The training standards team based at SPS College, Polmont have made a significant, tangible and sustained difference to the Scottish Prison Service through introducing a robust quality assurance process and a systematic approach to training and development priorities across the organisation.

The Health Trainer Scheme in Hampshire is a partnership between probation and four Primary Care Trusts. Uniquely it employs and trains ex-offenders as part of the wider community health team to provide health advice to offenders and other vulnerable groups.

The work of the Prince's Trust is well regarded and established as a national model. The work within Ashfield is no exception but what marks this team out is their success in linking with other projects in the community, and their unstinting commitment to the offenders they work with.

Christine has, largely in her own time, created two national directories of offending behaviour programmes and work skill courses across the prison estate. These greatly facilitate the appropriate allocation of prisoners to allow their treatment & training needs to be addressed, and are now widely used across England & Wales.

The Manchester Multi Agency Gang Strategy brings together a range of agencies - including police, probation and others - working closely together with offenders focusing on tackling gun and gang crime among the 13-25 age group, and have achieved a number of notable successes.

Paul Fogg has helped shape the development of the drug free unit at HMP Manchester through his dedication and through sharing the understanding he has acquired through his Buddhist faith. His motivation for investing his own time and effort is simply a desire to help his fellow man. His unique style goes beyond what is orthodox and established practice.

Claudia Sturt is an outstanding prison Governor. Her award is in recognition of the changes she has implemented at HMP Belmarsh which have ensured an ethos of decency and respect among staff and prisoners while fostering a positive regime in a complex establishment. Claudia has the full support of her management team who pay testimony to her style and ability to get the best out of people at all levels.

Steve Hall is a passionate and creative Governor who, through his hard work, clear vision and inspiring leadership has helped to turn HMP/YOI Styal around and developed it into a prison providing a supportive and constructive regime for both offenders and staff.

The Children's Team at HMP Hewell have developed an approach to supporting the children and families of prisoners which provides a role model for others. Their creativity and the warmth of their interpersonal style help minimise the distress of visiting a loved one in prison and make a real contribution to helping prisoners to maintain constructive family ties..

After 35 years in the Probation Service, Janet Robinson was nominated by Judges from Preston Crown Court for her extraordinary work as a Court Liaison Probation Officer over the last 14 years. Due to retire within the next year, Janet is currently training up her successor and hopes to maintain supportive links in the future.

David McAlley developed a drama programme, prison radio station and prisoner magazine at HMP Altcourse - first on a voluntary basis, now in a paid full time position - and the way he has involved prisoners' families in this is a particular strength. According to one offender, in support of his nomination, "[Dave's work] has given me back my self respect and developed my confidence".

Moosa is the co-ordinating Imam at HMP Full Sutton and a widely respected member of the Chaplaincy and prison management team. Moosa has worked tirelessly to promote religious tolerance and understanding. He is a pro-active and energetic man who is able to balance pastoral and management responsibilities and his work is at the leading edge of tackling extremist views and radicalisation among Muslim prisoners.

As the Imam at HMP Belmarsh, Muhammad has been instrumental in enhancing faith provision for Islamic prisoners while robustly challenging radical views. He has developed staff knowledge of Islamic beliefs and takes an active role on the Diversity and Equality Committee while providing policy advice and guidance nationally.

The Prison Service Protection Team in Northern Ireland are a hard working, dedicated team of staff who over a number of years have installed protection systems in homes of staff serving in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. The devotion of the team goes beyond the call of duty in demanding and sometimes dangerous situations.

The Mental Health Team at Wandsworth operate a 12 bed in-patient unit housing unpredictable and violent offenders requiring high intensity treatment. What makes the group stand out is their ability to offer genuine commitment to offender care and establishing effective cross boundary teamwork with voluntary and statutory agencies.

Angus has worked for London Probation for over 30 years. His award is for his work in leading the commissioning, development and contracting of mental health services for offenders in partnership with other agencies. He was nominated by one of the partner agencies for the outstanding commitment he shows and the quality of his work on behalf of this vulnerable group.

Janet Mason has dedicated her life to working with offenders. Her award is for her on-going, long-standing commitment to excellence in working with the local Public Protection Team, where she specialises in working with and supporting lifers and long-term prisoners.

Pete Beeston devotes himself to many causes both professional and charitable and is a true inspiration to the NVQ team at HMP Ranby. Pete has a natural ability to bring the best out of people and works effortlessly for the benefit of prisoners and local communities.

Sandra Gibson's work as a Senior Officer in promoting safer custody is not unique but her dedication and ability to identify those needing help make her stand out above others. To quote from her nomination, "[Sandra's] dedication and commitment are exceptional as she does what she does without judgment or criticism and never expects anything back."

Evelyn has worked at HMP Holloway for twenty years covering all areas of the establishment. Described as an inspiring and motivating officer by her peers, she has gained much respect from both prisoners and staff. An officer who gives that little bit extra, she can be relied on in any situation proving her to be an excellent role model and colleague for all.

John has worked as a tailoring instructor for more than 30 years and is recognised by staff and prisoners for his quiet and unassuming dedication to supporting high risk offenders and providing them with vocational training and qualifications. In addition, the quality of the work produced in his workshop has led to many submissions and prizes in the annual Koestler Awards.

Tim has been head of the Catering and NVQ Centre at Grendon and Spring Hill for 11 years. Constantly pushing the boundaries, he has introduced and seeks to continually improve culturally diverse catering across both establishments, as well as developing and engaging prisoners with vocational training and qualifications. His work is widely appreciated by both staff and prisoners.

Anne and Bernard are art tutors at Thorn Cross who, through their commitment and enthusiasm, have helped to unlock the artistic potential of prisoners at all levels of ability and built links with outside agencies including the Tate Gallery, Liverpool and the Halle Orchestra. A recent exhibition marking a visit from HRH The Princess Royal is now on display in Warrington Town Hall.

The Case Management Protocol Team provides a multi-disciplinary, individualised approach to managing disruptive prisoners which allows them to be retained on normal location. This has led to a significant reduction in the number and severity of disruptive incidents across the establishment and provided increased opportunities for engaging in purposeful activities.

The team at HMP Shotts have developed links with a local community "time bank" in which people can exchange their time and skills with others, without money changing hands. At Shotts, prisoners' time spent in voluntary work (such as the Listeners) is "banked" on behalf of the elderly and infirm so that they can "buy" help from other members of the scheme. This innovative idea is now being looked at across the Scottish Estate.

The Falkirk Community Service Team have taken a creative and collaborative approach to the development and implementation of new educational and training opportunities to enable offenders' to gain meaningful and rewarding employment on completion of their orders.

The Channel Ports Community Payback Team supports local needs in restoring historic buildings while contributing to cross-government carbon reduction initiatives and providing vocational training for the offenders involved. It has recently installed the first hydro-electric plants of its kind in the South East in Kent's only remaining working water mill.

When Helen joined the probation service in 1999 she was the first openly transgendered member of staff. She has championed understanding of and support for transgendered staff and offenders and has helped NOMS to make great strides in developing its thinking and practices in this critical and often over-looked area.

Rob Hastings is the Equality & Diversity manager for the Scottish Prison Service and is an extremely dedicated and committed individual. Rob has great enthusiasm in a demanding role and has been influential in driving through policy nationally and locally, ensuring legal compliance and challenging and changing the perceptions of others.

The Conservation team at HMP Kirkham have transformed a 25 acre neglected area of land into a wildlife sanctuary. The scheme employs prisoners full time with vocational training available through links to Myerscough College. The team has also engaged with local schools to enhance links between the prison and local education services.

HMP Canterbury has an extremely diverse population and the Chaplaincy team there work as an integrated team, sharing the pastoral load and generic duties, to enable them to meet the religious needs of all prisoners, whatever their faith. They are a dedicated and close-knit team widely respected by prisoners and staff.

The Westgate Project is a joint prison/probation initiative which provides a highly innovative and creative multi-disciplinary approach to the management of young male offenders in approved premises. Offenders are each given a Personal Link Worker who helps to ensure their needs are addressed to help them prepare for independent living.

The Outreach Mentors scheme at Nottinghamshire Probation is unique in employing former offenders to provide support, guidance and positive role models to offenders on Community Orders - and required a courageous change in probation employment policy to allow it to go ahead.

Beverley and Glenn helped to introduce a peer mentoring scheme at Thorn Cross in association with the NSPCC and Childline, as part of the establishment's safer custody strategy. The scheme has made a significant contribution to helping young people struggling to cope with being in custody.

Hazel is a unique individual who, having lost her sight, now works on a voluntary basis in the Braille Unit at HMP Maghaberry. She is an inspiration to both prisoners and staff in the way she handles her own disability and in the quiet support and encouragement she gives to others.

Nigel works on his own in the Custody 2 Work office at Thorn Cross. A conscientious and methodical worker, Nigel leaves no stone unturned in supporting young men into work on release and has forged excellent community links to help change lives.