Greater Manchester Probation Trust

A Royal Visitor for Tameside Probation

27 Nov 2009

HRH the Princess Royal visited Ashton Probation Office, Tameside on Friday 27th November.

The Princess Royal had expressed her interest in the work of the probation service and was keen to visit a probation office to observe practice and meet with staff.

On arrival at Ashton Probation Office Her Royal Highness met the North West region Director of Offender Management, Caroline Marsh; the Chair of the Greater Manchester Probation Trust Board, Hilary Tucker and the Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Probation Trust, John Crawforth, along with David Heyes, MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne; the Mayor and Mayoress of Tameside and senior Tameside council representatives.

Richard Barnes, Assistant Chief Executive for Tameside and staff told her about the Integrated Offender Management project (IOM) which is being launched in Tameside, where police and probation staff work together to manage the most prolific offenders.

The Princess met a current offender on the IOM project and his offender manager to gain an understanding of the intensive supervision work being done and how the project is making a difference to his offending behaviour.

She also heard about Community Payback projects carried out by offenders in Tameside and met local beneficiary, Raja Miah from the Millenium Park in Hyde.

Princess Anne is the Royal Patron of The Butler Trust, a prestigious national annual award scheme for staff working in the prison and probation services, which promotes excellence and innovation.

Colleagues from Greater Manchester Probation Trust won two Butler Trust Awards in March 2009 and the Princess had asked to meet them again during her visit to Ashton Probation Office. Helen Dale, IT Project Manager, won the Diversity Award for championing and supporting transgendered staff and offenders in the criminal justice system and the Manchester Multi-Agency Gang Strategy (MMAGS) won the Lord Woolf Award for Resettlement Work in partnership with other agencies for their work in tackling gun and gang crime among the 13-25-year-old age group.

The Princess unveiled a plaque in reception to commemorate her visit.