COMMENDEE 2024-25

This nomination was completed by Rachel Garry (Approved Premise Manager)

Introduction

I know there are many people deserving of recognition for ambitious projects or pieces of valuable work. But this is not the reason I am nominating Al. I am highlighting how Al consistently, but quietly, goes over and above expectations every single day. He is a supportive colleague, emotionally intelligent, caring and is an amazing person to talk to when you need some support. Alistair is a great example of what a PSO should be. APs have many unsung heroes who do intense and difficult work with residents, day after day; and (until now) Al is one of them.

Nomination Details

I have managed Al for the last 6 years at Holbeck House PIPE AP. When I arrived and knew very little about approved premises, he guided me and helped me find my feet, gently correcting me and helping me to avoid any real bloopers. Al is unassuming and had to be persuaded to apply for promotion to PSO, a job the rest of us knew he was made for. When I floated the idea of nominating Al for a Butler Trust Award I was inundated with messages and contributions from people who wanted to say how fantastic he is, not only as a colleague but also as a friend. I have included many of the things that people have said about Al below.

“I have worked with Al for several years and have always been so impressed by his ability to relate to the people we work with. From finding common ground with the most oppositional residents, to encouraging and empowering those with huge vulnerabilities. He does this with a great sense of integrity and with a brilliant skill of challenging in a gentle but firm way. Our governance group have received several positive examples of Al’s practice with difficult people, from his peers and those people themselves. Finally, I have always appreciated his sound and thoughtful judgement. He is not afraid to have difficult conversations and offer feedback to managers and colleagues if it is in the interest of progress”.

“I have known Al since I first became area manager for AP in West Yorkshire in 2012. Al has always been regarded extremely highly and spoken about in very complimentary terms by both staff and residents. As Holbeck House evolved into a PIPE (psychologically informed planned environment) Al began to evolve with it. He was keen to learn and had the capacity to do so. He developed his skills and after years and some resistance he was coaxed into becoming one of the PSO (Probation Service Officers) at Holbeck House. He is respected by colleagues and residents alike.  He is the embodiment of the PIPE principles. He is professionally curious and seeks to understand the complex behaviours of those he keyworks. His contributions to professional discussions are thoughtful and helpful. He also maintains clear and proportionate boundaries and is unafraid of making difficult decisions”.

“I have worked with Alistair for 10 years and his commitment to working for the NPS has always been 100%. Al has helped to train countless colleagues over the years. His role at HH PIPE AP is very demanding and stressful. Alistair is approachable, kind, and good natured with all who he works with, he is a beacon of good practice and professionalism for the probation service”.

“Al is a fantastic keyworker. He goes above and beyond for all the residents and shows true care for their well-being and their futures. Everyday Al shows incredible generosity and empathy in everything he carries out at the AP and does some truly remarkable work to help the rehabilitation of residents and their integration back into society. He has profound knowledge and skill about the job and can be a valuable teacher and guide to other members of staff. Holbeck House would not be the same without him”.

“Al goes above and beyond in his dedication to his residents whether that’s supporting them through a RJ meeting or arranging a Caribbean lunch to celebrate culture. It’s a guarantee that he will bring good energy to the room, a cracking sense of humour and a great story. Al has been a font of knowledge for me as a new(ish) keyworker and always makes time (even though he’s busy) to brainstorm with me. He brings so much compassion to the role and it speaks volumes that men who’ve moved on still stay in touch and Al holds a genuine interest for how they’re getting on after Holbeck. I am proud to have Al on my team. The world needs more Al’s”.

“When I joined, I was brand new to the service and Al’s invaluable experience was a fantastic help to me. Al has vast amounts of knowledge from his years in the service and along with this he is extremely patient, kind, and generous with his time. Despite the demanding workload he has always taken the time to answer any questions and explain policies/procedures and general ways of working. All in all, a great guy and a fantastic colleague!”

“I first worked with Alistair when he did a secondment to Southview PIPE in York in 2019. During this time, we faced some challenges as a team, and I needed support with my workload. Alistair’s arrival and knowledge / length of the service was fundamental in maintaining AP stability. Due to being new in the role myself, Al was a great anchorage of support for me and the wider team. He provided sound advice and challenged my viewpoints and ways of thinking to more of a psychologically informed way. Today, Al is still an inspirational figure for both staff and residents at Holbeck House, his ability to share tough anecdotal experiences to drive positive change and challenge antisocial beliefs with offenders is restorative and rehabilitating. I do believe Al would be a very worthy winner of this award.”

“Al is diligent, caring, grounded and thoughtful, even when faced with the subtle attacks on ‘boundaried’ care that can be the frequent experience for professionals working with complex people on probation. Al has a natural talent for connecting with and managing risk with fairness and compassion, and the people he has worked with have enormously benefitted from his time, patience, and support”.

“A recent example of Al’s work is his keywork support for one of our young residents who had effectively grown up in prison. Luke (pseudonym) seemed much younger than his years and he was shy, unsure of himself and lacking in self-confidence. Luke had lost his dad when he was thirteen and his ability to cope plummeted as this loss was in the context of already challenging familial dynamics. Just as a father-son relationship, Luke pushed back when Al held boundaries, but they talked about this and soon Luke and Al developed a good therapeutic relationship. Al supported Luke through Restorative Justice, helping him think about how each stage might make him feel; his hopes, his fears and how he might cope with disappointment and loss, helping him be hopeful but realistic about how he might cope during what can be a painful process. It was important to Al to ensure that Luke felt he was able to both say what he needed to and be able to hear what his sister needed to tell him. Luke spoke eloquently and earnestly and listened to his sister’s experience. Luke’s sister told him that although she unfortunately was not able to have a brother/sister relationship she wanted Luke to know she forgave him. Luke told Al that this outcome would not have been possible without him. Al felt proud of Luke and wanted to mark such an important event and bought him lunch to “celebrate,” the first time Luke had ever had a meal in a restaurant. I believe that Al was instrumental in this process and that without him, the outcome for Luke, and his sister, would not have been possible”.

Finally, as Al reaches the twilight of his career it feels right that we nominate him for this award and let him know that having Al on our team really makes a huge difference to all of us and we would be lost without him.  Alistair Lynch is ‘the glue,’ the ‘Lynchpin’ that holds the Holbeck House PIPE AP together.