AWARD WINNER 2022-23: Described in his nomination as “a wise silver fox”, and by his Governor as “the quiet backbone of Aylesbury”, Sean receives an Award for his outstanding service as a Prison Officer, and for the passion, skill, and dedication he has brought to all aspects of his role, over more than 30 years.
[His Award is supported by Ingeus.]

Sean’s initial nominator is Andy Routley, a Deputy Governor at HMYOI Aylesbury, who notes that Sean has worked for a third of a century on the front line – the majority at Aylesbury. In that time, says, Andy, he’s evolved ‘from a keen, fresh-faced youth to a wise silver fox.’ Throughout Sean’s career he has sought opportunities to work closely with those we look after, adds Andy, citing his ‘outstanding’ work as an induction officer before he moved on to work in Aylesbury’s ‘highly acclaimed’ Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathways Service.

Here Sean learned a set of ‘new and intensive casework skills that he would never have dreamt of when he first joined the service’, says Andy. Combined with Sean’s natural abilities, Aylesbury ‘now have an officer capable of working with some of the most challenging individuals with emerging personality disorders.’ Andy says others might have been daunted – but not Sean, who takes it all in his stride with an ‘unflappable’ approach that earns the respect of staff and prisoners alike. Sean, he says, through his strength of character and skill, ‘has been able to help take the anger, the upset and the potential for violence out of many difficult situations’ while gaining the trust of all who have come in contact with him.

While many Officers with 33 years’ service under their belt might be considering slowing down, says Andy, ‘this is not what Sean is about’. He points out that Sean is ‘forever striving to improve the experience for those in prison and encourage people to better themselves’. On top of all this, Sean has also been ‘the prime mover’ in Aylesbury winning the Windlesham Trophy for prison gardens in the 10 x 10m category – ‘a feat never achieved here.’

It was Sean’s work in the OPD service, says Andy, that led to his seeing the therapeutic power of gardening in prisons. On that basis, ‘he planned, cajoled and motivated staff and prisoners ‘to create an award-winning sensory garden: ‘Bringing the outside inside’. The garden gives prisoners the opportunity to enjoy a garden that many will not have experienced before and also acts as ‘a safe place for self-reflection and understanding.’

The garden is a fitting tribute to Sean and reflects ‘all that is good about the service’ as well as what he has stood for throughout his long and distinguished career, says Andy, calling him ‘the quiet backbone of Aylesbury’, mentoring both staff and prisoners. Andy says Sean should take ‘immense pride’ in all that he has achieved, but adds that he won’t – ‘because he is so humble’.

Butler Trust Local Champion Andrew Day, a Custodial Manager at Aylesbury, shares further testimony to Sean’s qualities from Governor Mark Allen, who picks up on the phrase ‘the quiet backbone of Aylesbury’, which he calls ‘an inspired line that absolutely sums up Sean’. Mark adds that the huge majority of Sean’s work ‘is carried out without fanfare or fuss’, calls his support to prisoners in Pathways ‘awesome’ and also notes that even after 33 years of service Sean ‘is still fully driven in making a difference to those we look after.’ Mark concludes by noting Sean’s ‘calm, relaxing manner’ which, ‘mixed with experience and humour’ really connects to Aylesbury’s ‘young volatile population’.

Sean explains that his role as a Prison Officer working with the Pathways Department involves joint keywork with either a Forensic or Clinical psychologist, which he calls ‘a very privileged piece of work to be involved in.’ It’s work, says Sean, ‘that can be challenging but equally very rewarding’, noting that ‘You really get an opportunity to build up trust with the men which is so important when working in collaboration.’ He also praises the opportunities for staff in terms of training and says the chance to be creative in the role is ‘vast’.

Sean gives the example of the gardening project for the Prison Service’s Windlesham Trophy where their focus was on turning ‘dirty prison spaces’ into ‘a decent environment’. They took an old exercise yard and turned it into ‘a sensory garden for the men and the staff to enjoy.’ Winning the competition was, says Sean, ‘a huge success for the men and the prison.’

Sean also cites all the training he’s received in Pathways over the last 8 years for giving him the skills and confidence to become a ‘hostage negotiator’ – a role that he is passionate about and ‘gives me a real sense of satisfaction when positive outcomes are achieved.’

Another group he cites is the Peer Mentoring Scheme which has trained up men to mentor and be role models to those new to the establishment. ‘It invites the men to be empowered and responsive in their role which is wonderful to see.’

Before the Pathways Unit, Sean was the prison’s Violence Reduction Coordinator, helping the prison successfully reduce violence ‘through the physical approach’ (e.g. introducing CCTV, applying grills to windows, etc.) However, he says, ‘what we really lacked was an intervention service that was based on building relationships with the men’, And so, in 2014, ‘I was delighted to move to the Pathways team to support the men on their journey through their sentence.’ Sean concludes by saying:

‘It is very rewarding to receive letters and visit the men describing how well they are managing their transition in other prisons or in the community.’