COMMENDEE 2017-18: Ruth is a Substance Misuse Team Leader at HMP/YOI Thorn Cross, and receives a Commendation for being ‘a beacon of light’ and contributing, through her skill and dedication, to one of the lowest drug rates in the country.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Brian is the Learning Centre Manager at HMP Perth, and is Commended for three decades of commitment to promoting literacy and family learning, and the many innovative initiatives he has driven forward.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Jason is a Carpentry Instructor at HMP/YOI Parc; he is Commended for his outstanding ability to connect with young people, and was described by an education inspector as ‘the most inspirational teacher I have ever met’.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Trevor receives a Commendation for his many contributions to pastoral care, both as Head of HMP Belmarsh’s Chaplaincy team, described as ‘the best in the country’, and more widely in the national chaplaincy community.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Paul is Commended for his work over almost three decades as an Officer at HMP Grendon, where his ‘indomitable’ and ‘exemplary’ character has made an enduring contribution to the lives of prisoners and colleagues.

COMMENDEES 2017-18: Craig and Keith, gym managers at HMP Perth and HMP Kilmarnock respectively, receive a Commendation for their roles pioneering the ‘Fit for LIFE’ project, and its delivery throughout the Scottish Prison Service.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Claire is a family support worker at HMP/YOI Askham Grange and is Commended for her ‘think family’ approach, which is a ‘shining example’ of liaison and partnership support for women offenders.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Samira teaches at HMP/YOI Forest Bank and receives a Commendation for developing and implementing the ‘M-powerment’ programme, which is designed to help some of the most vulnerable people in the system.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Ray is a Specialist Bicycle Maintenance Instructor at HMP Kirkham; he is Commended, having been nominated by a prisoner, for his dedication and skill in helping to change the lives of the men in his charge.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Tressa is the Visits Manager at HMP Grendon & Spring Hill, and is Commended for her dedication to helping prisoners and their families to maintain their relationships, and improving the visiting experience for all concerned.

COMMENDEE 2017-18: Andrew works as a Farm Manager at HMP North Sea Camp, and is Commended for his dedication and skill in sharing the redemptive power of nature and animal husbandry with the men under his tutelage and care.

AWARD WINNERS 2016-17: Ruth and Amy, from Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology and Faculty of Law, respectively, win an Award for pioneering ‘Learning Together’, bringing together prisoners, university students and academics, to learn with and from one another. The initiative, which began with Cambridge and HMP Grendon, now includes a number of prisons and universities across the country. [This Award is supported by Novus. Ruth and Amy also receive the Keith Bromley Award for Education & Skills Training.]