COMMENDEE 2024-25

Initial Recommendation

This nomination followed an initial recommendation from Gail Whitworth and Natalie Fitton, Mental Health Team

Matthew has worked as Mental Health Lead at HMP Buckley Hall for around 17 years.  During his time here he has developed the team into a dynamic and innovative service.  His dedication to both staff and prisoners is second to none.  He has supported us as staff to change the face of our department into an environment where men feel empowered and safe to share their stories and start their recovery.

He looks outside of the box and encourages us to put things in place never seen in the prison setting before.  He shows nothing but care and compassion for men with complex needs and promotes personalised care for all.  His push to promote social prescribing pathways and resource the services within the prison should be recognised.

His determination to implement change within the prison is exceptional and his focus on improving and changing the lives of the men here is exceptional.

His innovation and leadership has helped to develop peer led therapeutic intervention in The Hive. Working tirelessly over the past year to develop social prescribing activities for prisoners in Buckley Hall and making the Hive a safe and welcoming environment for prisoners to attend and partake in activity.

He has developed groups and activities that reach beyond the prison environment into prisoners’ families and wider social network. The family ties group for example sets out to make an item using creative art and textiles for a loved one (a baby grow with a homemade design for example). But within the group the men explore what it is to be a father/son/

brother/husband in prison and how being in prison has impacted on their family and how better to express that and ultimately develop strategies to manage. The item is then given out on a specially themed family visit day, run and staffed jointly by the prison and MHT – this is a more relaxed and bespoke visit than is normally permitted with the emphasis on fun and interaction. So the simple task of creating an item – an important therapeutic intervention in itself – leads to an exploration of men’s thoughts, feelings and beliefs and encourages sharing and the growth of trust and community. This is then shared with their family and a debate about mental health and the impact prison has had on family’s extended and widened. This not just covers wellbeing but also the prison family strategy and increases user involvement.

Supporting men to act as peer supporters in creative art, beginner guitar, learning support run by peers. Lived experience is now integral to all interventions within the MHT. The peer supporters have even developed a 6 week programme to help fellow prisoners manage emotions and behaviours, build self esteem and social capital and ultimately take responsibility for their actions and future actions.

The impact they have had on the wellbeing and outlook of the men that attend The Hive and the safety of men in the prison more widely is difficult to overestimate.

Supporting Documentation

Testimonials

Matt Hilton is a credit to the prison who has gone above and beyond in The Hive putting on many events and programmes for prisoners which have had a massive impact on our wellbeing.

Leon.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

Matt has helped a lot of prisoners with their mental health through the many events he puts on, in particular the Walk and Talk event which had us prisoners walk around the prison for over an hour talking to each other. Another event which was beneficial for me was the Breathwork day we had as I have added doing breathwork to my daily regime because of the benefits I got from it.

Nanu.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

Matt Hilton is a figure who changed my life inside of prison. He has given me opportunities to benefit myself and others around me, what no other person in the prison estate would have. He has made me believe in myself, gave me self-worth and confidence moving forward with my life upon release to make me a better person for my family and especially my little girl. Thank you Matt I will be forever grateful.

Michael.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

Matt is Alright, he has helped me with my Mental Health.

Adam.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

Matt is a really decent bloke, he’s helped me and has helped loads that I know when the times have been hard.

Anthony.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

I’ve been in HMP Buckley Hall since 28.12.23. I’ve met Matt on several occasions, he’s really helped me and advised me with my mental health and made me feel good with all his help and support.

Chris.(Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

I have no criticism for Matt, just praise. Matt has been instrumental in my journey towards being less dependent on medication and more confident in my ability to cope and create strategies to cope. The lions share of my development and success is due to the support from Matt and the team. Because of Matts management style and witty character, I have grown to trust in the establishment more and I have learnt to engage with staff with open minded optimism.

Andrae. (Prisoner at Buckley Hall)

Additional Information

Matt was made aware of an OSG who was a trained Michelin star chef and from that snippet of information an excellent initiative has grown where the OSG is now working as a chef on a programme teaching hard to reach men many new skills around catering and healthy living. Providing a valuable service for staff and families in providing hot food served in the visits room and staff mess. The way this is different from other prisons is that the criteria to work on this initiative was that the men would not be our best prisoners all on enhanced with low levels of risk assessments. The men on this programme are all difficult men with complex needs. They are responding well to this initiative and position of trust and starting out on their recovery to change their behaviour.

Some other excellent initiatives Matt has completed: Our prisoner wellbeing advocates provide fun activities on the wing. Games, light exercise in the CV rooms or just a chat. Wellbeing breakfast cafes – These included some healthy and not so healthy breakfasts such as smoothies, fruit pancakes, toast, and bacon butties. Breathwork – In an ongoing effort to reduce the stigma of mental health breathwork classes are run by a member of Mandem Meetup. These sessions are a sellout. Reiki sessions, Colour Run, where he ramped up the park run into a colour run, Walk and Talk where the park run was put into a leisurely stroll with bacon butties at the end. A get together to share some lived experiences around it being good to talk. Matt’s drive and determination is behind all these events for prisoners.

Sign Off

Matt is an integral part of the team at Buckley Hall. His innovation, creativity, and resilient approach to improving outcomes for the hardest to reach men in our care is outstanding. He has a pure attitude that leaves nobody behind regardless of the challenges individuals may present. Some of his more creative ideas strike fear into the Head of Security, however his single mindedness to support our most complex men and providing hope to men who feel worthless, angry, and lost should be commended.

Matt never takes the path of least resistance. He does not know what the easy option is. Many people pick the low hanging fruit to get results, not Matt he is more at home with the hardest to reach individuals and his skill and ability with men who have given up hope is nothing short of remarkable.

Matt’s success is unmeasurable as he is clearly getting results and I am convinced that more and more men are progressing in their own development and not reoffending but to the innovation and services he provides on a daily basis.

Dave McGurrell

Governor – HMP Buckley Hall