COMMENDEE 2024-25

Initial Recommendation

This nomination followed an initial recommendation from Gail Sessa, Head of OMU

Sam commenced the role of Prisoners and families support manager on a temporary promotion in June 2022, prior to this she was a prison offender manager and held that position for 3 years. Sam has set up a monthly prisoner’s forum which sets the direction of the work she delivers. She has ensured that the men at Buckley Hall have had a voice and a part to play in the direction of the family offer. Sam has also set up and managed the family forum, ensuring that families also have a voice and say in what do based on their lived experience.

Sam is in a role without a job description, and she has had to set the direction herself based on what she knows will provide positive experiences and benefits to families and prisoners alike. With no clear guidance she has taken to the role with ease and has left the governor with no other option than to make this a permanent position.

Sam understands the power of working collaboratively with our partner agencies and she works hard to remove barriers and is dogged in her determination to provide life changing experiences for the men in our care and their families.

Working with an established poet David Scott an anthology of creative writing by our men has been published and we recently invited the families of our contributors into the prison to have a special family event to mark the publication of this book.

Working with our reading specialist she has set up a special visit’s event on world book day. This saw family members reading with their loved ones and their children dressed as their favourite characters. She has also provided family easter egg hunts, Halloween events.

For Father’s Day Sam working in partnership with our mental health team set up a family Farm Day. Our men made tractors and other farm related items to promote positive play between dada and their children. For Mother’s Day Sam organised a service for men to send cards and flowers to their mothers, she personally spent time on all areas showing the men which types of flowers they could order. As well as purchased Christmas presents and wrapping paper and helped men wrap and give gifts to their children at Christmas time.

Sam has set up a family day where the men and their children were able to hold and play with small animals, rabbits and Guinee pigs providing excellent family time together.

Sam has sourced free training for staff in both Hidden sentences and Parenting courses. These are invaluable courses to improve staff’s attitude towards families and the time they have together in the visits room.

Sam has recruited and supervised a group of men who have painted the whole walkway to visits, not only providing a great environment but also meaningful activity for the men.

Supporting Documentation

Additional Information

The work Sam has done on family days in the nomination is understated.  She has introduced themed food for the events.  i.e. Halloween, Valentine’s day.  The windows are painted and rooms decorated for each event and many of our men have said I did not feel like I was in prison then for two hours.

When Sam took up the post she took it upon herself to find out who was not receiving any visits.  She found 92 men were not having visits.  She wrote to all of them and spoke to almost everyone one of them.  She worked with the official prison visitors scheme to increase provision in this area.  For the men who did not want to have a specific official visit, she has set up a coffee morning in visits, just for men who don’t have any visitors, this gets them into the visits room and away from the main prison for a couple of hours which is really important time to free up head space and help people relax.

The nomination talks about how she recruited and supervised a team of men to paint the 200 meters of walk way to visits.  This again is underestimated.  I wish I could show you a photo of how this environment has changed.  But what is also impressive is that she not only supervised the men but she rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in helping to paint the walk way to.  Leadership at its best.

Furthermore Sam is currently working with a man in our care who is unwell with cancer and dementia.  She has provided him with excellent emotional support and has ensured that he is provided with fans and other items to help him cope better with his illness.  The impact she is having on this man and his ability to cope with his illness whilst in prison is immeasurable.

Sign Off

Sam is a worthy nominee. Every prison needs a Sam. I am lucky to have her as an integral part of my team. Sam is working with one of our men called Barry who is extremely unwell, and she is providing a distraction to his illness and emotional support to help him through this difficult period. She gets her hands dirty and is forceful in her approach. She not only ensures the right lads are given their red band status which provides a great deal of self-worth for lads, but she also helps them in the physical part of tasks to improve the environment. I am excited about this nomination as people need to see the excellent work Sam has done and only photos not words can explain how she has improved the environment and visitor experience for our lads and families, much of which is certainly not in her job description.

Dave McGurrell

Governor – HMP Buckley Hall