Spurgeons wins prestigious Robin Corbett Award for prison family support programme

Spurgeons has been recognised as a commended winner of the 2025 Robin Corbett Award for its pioneering work supporting families affected by imprisonment. The award, presented at a ceremony in the House of Lords, celebrates outstanding efforts in prisoner reintegration and rehabilitation.

Behind the Wall Beyond the Gate Programme  

The accolade highlights the impact of Spurgeons’ Behind the Wall Beyond the Gate programme, which provides holistic support to families from the point of custody through to release and resettlement. The programme operates in HMP Winchester in Hampshire and HMP Elmley in Kent, offering a wide range of services designed to reduce reoffending and strengthen family ties. 

Supporting fathers and families through custody and beyond

Spurgeons’ approach includes support for children and families during prison visits, parenting programmes, and intensive pre-release support for fathers. Up to six months before release, fathers receive tailored assistance through family resettlement meetings, parenting guidance, self-study, and coordinated work with schools and community services. The programme also includes family days, home visits, and multi-agency reviews to ensure continuity of care and support.

Lucy Binns, Spurgeons Prison Family Hub Lead at HMP Winchester, said: 
“We’re Spurgeons, and we ensure families have the support they need to flourish. Our family hubs work through churches, schools and prisons, so we can put children first in everything. When a parent is imprisoned, their children and family can end up serving a sentence too. At our prison family hub at HMP Winchester we work to minimise this impact by creating ways to maintain connection inside and outside the prison walls.

“We take a broad view, working closely with services such as schools, Probation and Children’s Services to make sure family relationships are fully supported. We support positive family ties through visits and interventions. We work with professionals and community projects to meet the needs of the whole family and smooth the transition from custody to community and beyond. We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised by the Corbett Network for the work that we do.”

About the Robin Corbett Award

The Robin Corbett Award was established in 2013 in memory of Lord Corbett, a passionate advocate for prison reform and education. Now administered by The Corbett Foundation, the award honours organisations that provide effective support to people leaving prison, helping them rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of reoffending.
 

Lady Val Corbett, founder of the Robin Corbett Award, said: 
“In the 12th year of the Award the standard remains unerringly high. Our judges had to decide on a short list of nine, each with impressive stats supporting those released in giving their clients that crucial second chance. Discussions took time but eventually our three winners were chosen, each one working in a different but vital field. We would like to thank our judges for their experience, knowledge and wisdom and most of all for their commitment to the RCA.”

Support Our Work 

If you're a funder or organisation interested in supporting innovative, evidence-based prison family support programmes, email us at supportercare@spurgeons.org or donate to our Stop the Stigma campaign. Together, we can break the cycle of reoffending and help families thrive.