February 2019

We are proud to have been recognised by our peers as a national leader in offender rehabilitation.

Our work in prisons has been handed the Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Reintegration by the Corbett Network.

These annual Awards seek to recognise “outstanding” rehabilitative work; set up in memory of Lord Robin Corbett, a long-serving MP who campaigned for penal reform.

We deliver our HMP Academies programmes in prisons across the North West, with up to 250 men and women undertaking meaningful recycling or fabrication work to develop skills, earning an enhanced wage and having support to secure work and housing ready for release.

Awards judges said we deliver “exceptional results” in reducing reoffending rate to less than 5% and supporting more than 80% of participants into work on release from prison.

Chief Executive Alasdair Jackson said: “It is always fantastic to win any award. To receive the Robin Corbett Award is particularly special as we are being recognised by experts in the prison field.

“Our team deserve all the credit as they leave no stone unturned to help the people we work with. However, the real winners are those men and women who have turned their lives around. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

As part of our first place prize we have been handed £5,000 prize money, which we plan to invest in developing support services for mental health and wellbeing.

Second and third place in the Awards went to A Fairer Chance and Circles South West, respectively. A Fairer Chance supports women offenders into employment while Circles South West rehabilitates sex offenders.

Chairman of the judges Lady Val Corbett said: “Amongst some outstanding applications, Recycling Lives’ work and exceptional results meant the judges were unanimous in their decision.

“My husband Robin was resolute in his belief that prison should be an opportunity to make positive changes in individual’s lives. All three charities stand as outstanding examples.”