Individuals and teams working with prisoners, ex-prisoners or those sentenced to community punishments in the North East came together to recognise efforts to support rehabilitation and reduce re-offending, and celebrate the winners of this year’s Nepacs Ruth Cranfield Awards.

The charity Nepacs is well known and highly regarded for its work within criminal justice, having worked in this field for 142 years. They also reach out and provide services in the community, to children and adults from all walks of life including those individuals with care experience.

Nepacs has been making these awards throughout the region for 19 years to highlight the work of exceptional individuals and teams who deserve particular recognition for their work.

The awards are given to those working across multiple disciplinary teams with the aim of supporting people going through difficult times in their lives and being aspirational to make their own choices and life changes.  

This year’s awards and certificates were presented by guest speaker Helen Judge, area executive director HMPPS North East, Yorkshire and Humber at an event on Friday, September 13 at Emirates Riverside, Chester-le-Street. 

The four main awards were presented to:

• Emma Betts, Prison Offender Manager, HMP Low Newton for her passion and commitment to rehabilitation and desistance of women within HMP Low Newton and in the community. Emma provides pioneering programmes in the national Prison, Me? No Way! scheme dispelling myths around imprisonment, taking prisoners to address and interact with pupils in local schools. As a family liaison officer she has worked with cases involving women who are unwell, supporting them and their families throughout health crises and hospitalisation. Emma is also, in her own time, volunteer operational staff lead with the Shannon Trust’s peer-to-peer reading scheme.

• Tanya Cleary, Dart Recovery Co-ordinator, Humankind, HMP Kirklevington for her excellent understanding of the needs of those in recovery, continually bringing innovative, exciting ideas for delivery which not only benefit prisoners but also inspire and support colleagues. This has led to her developing exciting new opportunities, most recently taking a group of prisoners on ROTL to compete in the NHS Recovery Games at Hadfield, a great success despite complex problems. Similarly she has developed many connections with outside agencies, in particular with Middlesbrough’s membership of the Recovery Cities programme, and delivering AA and NA meetings inside the prison.

• Stephen Harding, Peer Worker, NHS Secure Outreach Team for using his own experience and insight in interpersonal skills as an ex-service user to show real and inspirational understanding with patients and their families, assisting at twice weekly interview panels and supporting individuals and families to get the care they need. He has on his own initiative created a package detailing his own journey, instilling hope that change is possible, and demonstrably decreasing aggression through sessions with those discharged from secure services. Stephen has also added immeasurably to staff training, delivering his story within development days and at Teesside University, where he gives professionals a wealth of insight and compassionate understanding into the patient journey.

• Kay Richmond, Probation Officer, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Cleveland for her work as the senior practitioner on the complex female concentrator team, which specialises in working with the most difficult-to-reach females with numerous complicated needs. In the field of Unpaid Work her capacity to relate on a human level with the females engaged has increased attendance and compliance, enhancing its effectiveness on supporting a life beyond offending. In her work at HMP Low Newton she has also strengthened custody to community transition, and by including women’s voices in settlement plans has given them a feeling of agency and increased their confidence in the possibility of a new future.

Nepacs trustee Sheila Seacroft, who organises the awards on behalf of the charity, said: “The Nepacs Ruth Cranfield Awards highlight and celebrate examples of exceptional work by our partner colleagues in the North East in supporting rehabilitation and reducing the risk of reoffending.

“Our aim is to celebrate good work and to ensure innovative practice and ideas are broadcast as widely as possible so that they can be replicated elsewhere.

“It’s a pleasure to give recognition to those whose work is so often unseen and undervalued throughout our society.

“I would like to congratulate and thank everyone who received a certificate of commendation and all our award winners for going above and beyond to make a difference to the lives of people involved in the criminal justice system who want to turn their lives around.

“All of our winners and recipients of certificates have gone the extra mile to help support a positive future for their clients and offer hope for the future.”

Helen Judge, area executive director HMPPS North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “I am thrilled to be celebrating the brilliant work that has been recognised at these awards. People working in criminal justice are changing lives every day in a hugely challenging context, often quietly and behind closed doors.

“I am glad that they are getting their well-deserved moment in the spotlight and I am especially pleased that we are recognising teams, partners and individuals.

“Their work is helping to keep communities safer and giving hope for the future.”

• For further information on the Nepacs’ Ruth Cranfield awards and previous winners visit www.nepacs.co.uk