A member of Wiltshire Probation Trust, who works in the Erlestoke Prison site’s offender management unit, has scooped an award.

This was the fourth year that the community awards event has run on the Erlestoke prison site and the second with the Shepton Mallet site. The event was attended by more than 150 staff from both the prisons. The level of submissions this year was exceptional with 100 nominations across all of the categories being considered by the performance recognition committee.

The categories included awards for decency, diversity and equality, lifetime achievement, managing difficult offenders, manager of the year, resettlement, staff support, staff team of the year, suicide prevention and unsung hero.

Each category winner was presented with a certificate and an engraved award. From the category winners the employee of the year was selected, being won by Debbie O’Shaughnessy, who is a seconded member of Wiltshire Probation Trust.

Andy Rogers, the governor, said: “Although Debbie is not a directly employed member of staff to the prison service, being a contracted-in probation officer, she epitomises everything that a good member of staff should be. “She is a role model for offenders and for staff. She is hard working, motivated, and articulate.”