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Gedney Drove End man receives OBE in New Year’s Honours List




A man who has helped to turn around the fortunes of the country’s largest prison has been named in the New Year’s Honours list.

Nick Leader (59), of Gedney Drove End, will receive an Order of the British Empire Medal after giving nearly 40 years to the country’s prison service, which includes stints at the high security HMP Whitemoor.

Mr Leader started off as a prison officer in 1985 and retired in September as governor of HMP Berwyn in Wales. The establishment is the UK’s largest prison and Mr Leader helped to improve its fortunes following a critical report.

Retired prison governor Nick Leader is been awarded an OBE
Retired prison governor Nick Leader is been awarded an OBE

He has spoken of his pride in receiving the honour but has also thanked his wife Sue and prison service colleagues for their support in this achievement.

Mr Leader said: “The letter came out of the blue – I didn’t know anything about it. I wasn’t completely sure it was going to happen so I kept it as a complete secret just in case.

Nick Leader is thrilled to have been awarded an OBE
Nick Leader is thrilled to have been awarded an OBE

“I am proud to receive it, not many people get an award.

“I am not sure who nominated me but I have an idea. I am grateful to have worked in the prison service as it is a good employer and the staff and managers have been a fantastic support.

“My wife Sue has been a great support.”

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Mr Leader started off his career on September 23, 1985, as a prison officer at HMP Birmingham in the Winson Green area and has worked at various sites all over the country, including HMP Whitemoor, near March.

He spent five years at the high security prison and witnessed changes there after five IRA terrorists and an armed robber had escaped from the site in September 1994. He later returned as its governor in 2009.

Mr Leader said: “Staff bonded after coming through that and there was a massive change to the prison service to focus on high security prisoners.

“Yes, there are hard days and scary times but it is very well run, staff are very professional and the security procedures are outstanding in Whitemoor.

“I think it is a safe prison.”

Mr Leader has also served as the Director of HMP Peterborough for five years and was the regional chief executive of probation services for Sodexo Justice Services.

He finished his career at HMP Berwyn, in Wrexham, which can accommodate up to 2,000 prisoners. When he arrived in 2019 it had received a poor inspection report. Inspectors highlighted concerns with safety, drugs and inexperienced staff.

Mr Leader said that this brand new prison had a lot of aspirations and he helped to introduce changes which saw a focus on safety and an improvement to industrial relations.

He said: “One of the best things we did was to improve employment of prisoners. In 2020, 7% of people had employment on their release but then that went up to just under 30%. It is about making sure that they have life chances and don’t come back and employment is one way of doing that.”

Overcrowding in prisons has been a subject which has hit the news recently.

Mr Leader said: “The prison service is too full with overcrowding but the bottom line is our job is to serve the court not to criticise them.

“When I became a governor in 2000s there was not like the amount of rehabilitation resources available to me in 2020.”

He has also recommended a career in the prison service.

Mr Leader said: “I have enjoyed going to work as I was making a difference. You help someone every day. Prison officers change people’s lives every day, they save people and keep the public safe every day.

“You get a good sense of team spirit which is rewarding.

“The people that stay in the service enjoy it and are proud to do a difficult job.”

Do you know someone whose work in the community deserves recognition? Post your suggestions in the comments below



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