As well as all the inspirational finalists, the awards ceremony was attended by a host of senior figures from across the justice sector, including the Parole Board’s Faith Geary, College of Policing’s Andy Marsh, and HMI Probation’s Martin Jones. The awards were also attended by senior representatives from HMICFRS, HMPPS, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Prison Governors Association, HMCTS and the Ministry of Justice.

Speaking at the awards, Minister of State Heidi Alexander MP paid tribute to the contribution of the wider justice sector workforce in keeping our communities safe:

“I am so pleased to have the chance to thank the nominees for their hard work and dedication – they are the very best of what the justice system has to offer.

“The thousands of people who come into contact with the justice system every day might not be aware of the hidden heroes keeping the system going, but these individuals make a real difference to the lives of every citizen in this country.”

Having engagement from people across government and the wider justice sector really demonstrates to our finalists how truly appreciated their work is, and also how what they do has a lasting positive impact for service users and colleagues from across the sector. It was also a great opportunity for leaders to recognise and celebrate the people in their workforce.

Chief Executive of Skills for Justice, John Rogers, said:

“A huge congratulations to all Inspire Justice Awards finalists. Without the wider justice sector workforce that Inspire Justice Awards aims to recognise and celebrate, our justice system would grind to a halt. Now more than ever, it is important to raise awareness of the valuable contribution that these inspirational teams and individuals make to the safety of our communities.”

The awards ceremony and the experiences of attendees were brilliantly captured on the day in our event video. Watch it below to see a snapshot of the day.

 

The Inspire Justice Awards is the UK’s only independent awards programme dedicated to recognising the achievements of the entire justice sector. The Awards are delivered by Skills for Justice and supported by BT, PeoplePlus, UNISON, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, SFJ Awards, and Policing Insight.

We look forward to sharing the finalists’ stories over the coming months and shining a light on the incredible winner stories that were celebrated at the event.

Find out more about the awards and sign up to hear when we open nominations in 2025 →