An Evening at County Hall – Recognising Prison Service Colleagues

On Monday evening we gathered in the Council Chamber at County Hall for the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s Prison Service Awards.

The setting carried a particular resonance. Before it became the Council Chamber, the room served as the County Court. Justice has quite literally been dispensed within those walls. It felt fitting to stand there and recognise colleagues from HMP Bullingdon and HMP Huntercombe whose work forms part of that same wider system. Families and friends sat in the gallery. Governors Seb Green and Andy Routley read the citations. Helen Baker DL joined us representing the Lord-Lieutenant. The atmosphere was formal but unforced, proud without being showy.

As the citations were read, what struck me was the breadth of roles and the steady professionalism described in each one. A Reception officer mentoring new recruits through the complexities of first nights in custody. Hub managers refining processes to guard against release in error and unlawful detention. Officers ensuring safeguarding documentation is meticulous. Supervisors guiding colleagues through challenging situations. Senior leaders holding teams steady through sustained operational pressure. Care Team members supporting staff wellbeing with discretion and empathy. Workshop and café leaders creating environments where men develop practical skills and a sense of responsibility.

The common thread was not drama but consistency. Reliability. Judgement. Attention to detail. The ability to combine authority with humanity. Prisons do not run on rhetoric; they run on systems, relationships and people prepared to shoulder responsibility day after day.

In my year as High Sheriff, under the theme Hearing the Young Unheard, I have spent time in schools, youth projects and community settings. Visiting prisons sits naturally within that frame. Many of the men in custody arrive with complex histories – trauma, addiction, disrupted education, poor mental health. By the time they reach prison, much has already gone wrong. The work done inside is practical and immediate. It is about safety and order. It is also about creating structure and, where possible, space for change.

Public confidence in the justice system depends not only on sentencing but on what happens afterwards. What happens afterwards is shaped hour by hour by the men and women we recognised on Monday evening.

After the final applause we moved into the Atrium for a drink. The formal tone softened. Colleagues congratulated one another. Families took photographs. There was quiet pride and a sense of shared endeavour.

Award ceremonies do not alter the demands of prison work. Tomorrow morning everyone will return to shifts, casework and workshops. But taking time, in a room once used as a court, to acknowledge professionalism felt appropriate. It was a small civic act of recognition for work that is often unseen.

There was nothing extravagant about it. Just gratitude, expressed plainly.