COMMENDEE 2023-24: Wendy, a Custodial Manager at HMP Bullingdon, receives a Commendation for her work as coach and mentor for new staff members, which has led to a dramatic improvement in staff morale and retention; and as a result of her efforts, not a single new-entrant Officer left the jail in over 12 months.

Wendy’s nomination

Initial Recommendation

Wendy was initially recommended by: Craig Chinn (Head of Business Assurance, HMP Bullingdon).

Wendy has been fundamental in ensuring staff remain working within the custodial environment at HMP Bullingdon during some of our most challenging times.

Her commitment & dedication to all other staff members has been faultless. During the previous 12 months Wendy has supported over 100 new staff entering the Prison workplace for both operational & non-operational positions, with an amazing success rate in relation to staff retention. Her caring approach & an ability to bring a sense of reality for those new staff is outstanding, creating a nurturing environment in addition to her unique warm welcoming approach.

Wendy has personally gone out of her way to support staff, not only offering emotional support, but also working tirelessly to create a quiet room for others to visit providing a place where they can relax & gather their thoughts when needed. This is an amazing area for others to come away from our demanding environment into an area that aids the well being of others. I have received continual positive feedback on how amazing the room is & the benefits it has brought them.

She personally became involved in the decoration by cleaning & painting the room in her own time, going this extra mile epitomises what Wendy is about & I know she still secretly purchases flowers on a regular basis so when staff go there it offers a wonderful sanctuary for them to visit.

Whilst working as our Apprenticeship coach at Bullingdon & Huntercombe Wendy engaged with every new learner in such a positive manner I was in awe how she knew so much about these new people which allowed her to embed the learning into 2 establishments. She worked collaboratively with numerous people to attain the best outcomes for the service, but most importantly to Wendy those staff she worked with.

Her enthusiasm & personal drive to the role made it an enormous success, knowing & understanding what stage all learners were at. Wendy had to create & implement processes to match the needs of the apprenticeship, establishments & the member of staff, which she did with amazing success. This was only achieved by her fantastic manner in which she works with others, whilst listening & learning what their needs are, again being totally people focused, which in itself is extremely difficult within our environment. I have never seen her falter in her desire to achieve the best outcomes for staff on both a personal, professional & emotional position.

Testimonials (from HMP Bullingdon)

Wendy’s nomination included the following testimonials:

“I would like to nominate CM Wendy Brennan who is our Apprentice Coach. This is a perfect role for Wendy as she has a lot of experience to share with new staff. I have worked alongside Wendy for more than 20 years. She has always demonstrated respect, empathy and such a willingness to assist those in her charge that she has contributed greatly to the rehabilitation and well being of many prisoners and staff in her role as a care worker.

Wendy is very much loved by all for her enthusiasm and positivity, and nothing is too much for her. I have witnessed this many times and have watched her demonstrating this on a daily basis, she has a great ability to put people at ease and make them very welcome which is vital for her role working with new staff. As we all know the prison environment is often viewed as bleak and scary to outsiders but Wendy is a shining light with her colourful hair and wide smile she soon puts new staff at ease.

She is able to pass on to new staff many of her experiences and stories as a prisoner officer which are often funny but always how she is able to make that ‘difference’ to each individual. I personally know that Wendy has worked many a weekend sitting at her computer in order to ensure all new staff have induction plans and learning points in place. Wendy works with all prison staff at Bullingdon in order to introduce new staff and make sure they are being looked after wherever they go; she is responsible for ‘buddying, up new staff with more experienced staff which has the 2 way effect of giving staff who are mentoring responsibility and ownership as well as inducting our new staff.

I am sure our retention figures are very good due to the work that Wendy does. She has always put 100% and more into her work at Bullingdon, it’s her life! If anyone can make a difference she can”.
CM Jean Doyle

Additional information (from HMP Bullingdon)

HMP Bullingdon provided the following additional testimony in support of Wendy’s nomination:

In her role as the new Apprenticeship coach, Wendy achieved something remarkable. With Bullingdon’s attrition rate at its highest, Wendy supported every new prison officer and for the whole of 2022, not one new officer left us. She supported every individual through all their learning and the apprenticeship process, but she also had the warmth, the experience, the personal touch that made people want to stay. Wendy speaks plainly and takes no nonsense, but she is kind, approachable and reliable. People relate to that and respect her.

Wendy became our New Colleague Mentor in August 22, broadening her role to support all new starters. A few weeks later Executive Director Sarah Coccia visited the prison: “Please do pass on my specific thanks to Wendy who toured the prison with me, she is a committed member of your team, and I can see why she has been selected to support new officers – she is motivational and a great role model for new staff….We discussed your new colleague mentor who is helping to support new starters and I was delighted to hear that not a single POELT who has joined this year has left the prison so far – this is a huge achievement and really goes to show that support in the early days of someone’s career can have a positive impact on attrition. Keep up the good work in this area”

Wendy’s amazing work has also been recognised by Annamarie Branson, New Colleague Mentor Lead within Learning & Development. This was her feedback for Wendy in November 22: “Just wanted to say thank you for what you do as an NCM L&C Manager & for being you ~ it should be recognised & it is certainly very much appreciated. Colleagues like you are making my job of leading this nationally so much more enjoyable and easier. It’s an absolute pleasure to know you and I’m very proud of you”.

Annamarie shared with me a thank you card she had sent to Wendy explaining her appreciation and admiration for all that she was doing to support new staff:

“I’m sending this to you with heartfelt thanks for the fabulous work you are doing on your early journey as an NCM L&C Manager, and for just being you – you are an invaluable part of the team nationally. Through your authentic & passionate approach, you are striving to support all new colleagues through their onboarding, induction and early career journey. You are embodying what it really means to genuinely care and support colleagues and also in your thinking and approach to launching your Buddy Scheme. You are demonstrating what can and will be achieved by colleagues who authentically care about others, and whilst I know you wish you were further on you are doing such a grand job Wend – thank you, I’m so proud of you, keep being you x”

Sign off

The nomination was signed off by the Governor, Laura Sapwell.

This nomination has my full and heartfelt support, although there really isn’t enough room on these pages for us to properly demonstrate why Wendy deserves this award.

Wendy has been an officer, SO, POM and CM for over 27 years at Bullingdon. This is a difficult environment for that length of service and whilst she has always supported staff as part of the Care team and as a negotiator, she has now found new purpose as the Apprenticeship coach and NCM, supporting our newest colleagues to be their best; capable, confident, resilient and compassionate. She role models all these things and gives every new starter her personal attention and guidance and this approach has turned the tide in our retention and staff morale.

I receive a constant stream of positive feedback for Wendy from new colleagues joining the prison. Our attrition is improving (from a terrible high of over 20% in 2021, now down to the national average), especially amongst our prison officers, and although Wendy works closely with line managers, the current Apprenticeship coach and other NCM, it is Wendy who has raised the bar in how we now look after our newest colleagues and the support she gives is undoubtedly a big part of why they stay. Bullingdon’s’ staffing challenges are well known across HMPPS but with Wendy’s help, we are turning the corner.

That deserves national recognition.