Hundreds of nominations for the 35^th Annual Butler Trust Awards have now arrived (with the usual deadline rush!). As always, they shine a light on the impressive work everyone in the sector knows about – but which the wider public rarely gets to see.

This year the Trust is pleased to see some wider and long overdue recognition of the amazing stuff people bring to their work every day in the sector. For instance, Channel 4’s award winning documentary series Prison showed prison officers at HMP Durham doing their best in a range of tough circumstances. We reported some of the public’s heartfelt and positive responses to the show in our new booklet #HiddenHeroes: The Prison Officer (now being distributed to all uniformed officers). We’ve also highlighted the impact of probation in our #HiddenHeroes: The Probation Officer video.

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While you’ve been busy thinking about your Butler Trust nominations for this year, we’ve been busy finishing work on two new publications: a booklet, #HiddenHeroes: The Prison Officer, and a film: #HiddenHeroes: The Probation Officer.

While the media focus on the negative – and staff face very significant challenges every day – there is much to be proud of in our prison and probation services, too – not least our Prison and Probation Officers. Our publications pay tribute to, and celebrate the work of, the frontline staff who make a real difference to the people in their care and the public at large.

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Didn’t you do well?

Although Spring took her time turning up, she arrived in some style – with the early-May Bank Holiday the warmest since the holiday began in 1978. With the World Cup getting closer, temperatures climbing, and long Midsummer nights, we started to wonder if the famous – in our office, anyway – last minute rush of nominations would happen this year. England were headed for the Round of 16 by the time our deadline was reached and once more, you did us proud: cheering along the best and brightest people working around you, from all four corners of the kingdom, you only went and broke the record for the most nominations ever – 383 in total!

Now you might think that with the difficulties in the sector over recent years, a lot of deep experience leaving the game, and a large influx of new recruits coming on board, that this would dent your enthusiasm for looking around at what your co-workers and team mates are up to, nodding approvingly as you notice the people doing the really good stuff, day in, day out. But as our Director, Simon Shepherd, never tires of pointing out: you are not like other professions. You get little praise in public (which was why we were set up in the first place), and no matter what happens, you still come in to work the next day and start over again. So thank you, once more. Without your support, the nominations – and the Awards – would never happen.

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