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Community Programmes Awards 2008

Ten schemes from across the UK have been announced as winners of the Community Programmes Awards 2008. The awards were presented by Baroness Linklater at a special reception in the House of Lords, which was attended by Edward Garnier MP, David Howarth MP, the Earl of Listowel and His Hon Judge Peter Thornton QC. Part of a partnership campaign with the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the Howard League for Penal Reform, the awards are aimed at increasing public protection by recognising outstanding community programmes that help to reduce the seriousness and frequency of re-offending.

Schemes of Special Merit

 

 Northfleet Lunch Club, Kent Probation Service

Patricia Legg, Jean Foskett and John Miller from Kent Probation Service receive their award from Baroness Linklater. The Northfleet Lunch Club in Gravesend won a Scheme of Special Merit Award. The programme is run by young people on community sentences, who cater for 350 old age pensioners, providing them with a cheap hot meal and a place to socialise. Receiving the award, John Miller thanked everyone involved in the programme, and in particular the elderly people who use the service. Last year, the young people involved in the programme provided over 3,000 hours of unpaid work at the lunch club. 

FareShare Community Food Network, South Yorkshire Probation Service

FareShare South Yorkshire is a charity based in Barnsley dealing with re-distributing surplus food to projects working with vulnerable people.

Skills for Life Project - ISSP, South Tyneside YOS

The Skills for Life project was established five years ago to develop a creative way of working with the most prolific and persistent children who offend, with the ultimate aim of reducing re-offending.

Outstanding Schemes

 

Community Based Reparation Service, SACRO

Baroness Linklater presents an Outstanding Programme Award to Alex Pirrie and Michael Proe of Sacro. The Aberdeen- based service ensures that those affected by and those responsible for offending, are provided with direct opportunities for reparation through a restorative process. Sacro has now won awards for three years running.

Goodwood Estate Unpaid Work, Sussex Probation Service
Peter Rogers speaks after receiving an award for the Goodwood Estate unpaid work programme, run by Sussex Probation. The service involves those on community sentences managing, improving and protecting the woodland on the Goodwood Estate, providing opportunities for offenders to develop new practical skills and an increased awareness of their environment. The scheme is an excellent example of community programmes that work in rural areas. Peter Rogers told the audience at the House of Lords reception that the programme not only helped offenders to turn their lives around, but had allowed species such as the endangered stag beetle to flourish in the park, and had improved disabled access to previously cut-off areas of the estate.

PS Plus Programme, Norfolk Probation Service
The PS Plus Programme is a partnership project between Norfolk Probation Area and MOVE ON East, which offers employment advice and support to offenders being supervised in the community.

Floating Support for High Risk Offenders, Novas Scarman Group, Bristol
Maria Donoghue-Mills, Janice Bicknell and Aaron Zatte from Novas Scarman Group receive their award from Baroness Linklater. The Floating Support for high risk offenders programme, run by Novas Scarman Group in Bristol, has won an Outstanding Programme Award. The service is designed specifically to support the highest risk categories of offenders whilst they are in the community with housing and resettlement issues. Maria Donoghue-Mills commented on receiving the award that, despite working with some of the highest risk offenders, nearly 90% of those using the service do not reoffend.

Outreach Mentor Programme, Nottinghamshire Probation Service
Nottinghamshire Probation Area made a positive decision to employ three ex- offenders as Outreach Mentors in a 12 month pilot scheme with the aim of supporting offenders on Community Orders and helping them to overcome the barriers they face in complying with the terms of their order.

Together Women Programme, Yorkshire
The Together Women Programme (TWP) supports female offenders and women at risk of offending across Yorkshire in Doncaster, Leeds,

East Leeds Neighbourhood Renewal Project, West Yorkshire Probation Service
The East Leeds Neighbourhood Renewal Project is an Unpaid Work Community Payback project run in partnership with Leeds City Council.