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Gloria McKenna, a Probation Officer in Northern Ireland for over 40 years, was presented with a National Butler Trust Award today by HRH The Princess Royal at St James’s Palace, London. Only 10 of these highly prized awards are presented each year for recognition of excellence in the field of criminal justice work in prisons and probation settings. Gloria was nominated by PBNI Chief Executive Amanda Stewart OBE for her enduring professionalism; for her passionate support and encouragement of colleagues; and for the unfailing empathy, skill, and resilience she brings to all aspects of her work.
Amanda said: “I couldn’t be more proud today as Gloria is presented with this prestigious national award. Gloria’s ordinary is everyone else’s extraordinary. Even more fitting that today is World Social Work Day celebrating the social work profession. In Northern Ireland all Probation Officers have to be qualified social workers. For 42 years without exception, Gloria has displayed a commitment to social work and Probation in the supervision and support for her clients, as well as the protection of and support for their families, victims, and wider society.”
Gloria is a highly respected Probation Officer and her career with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) has spanned over 40 years. Daily, Gloria goes “above and beyond” the call of duty. Throughout her career she has inspired many individuals, both staff and people who have offended. Gloria’s passion drives her to do the very best for every person that she has supervised.
She is characterised by her sheer energy, passion, and commitment to enhancing the quality of life for her clients. She has been a significant contributor to shaping and influencing others, developing new skills and specialisms in a sector that is consistently adapting to change.
Gloria has worked across various functions including the prison setting, in HMP Maghaberry, community supervision teams and more recently the Practice Performance and Research Unit (PPRU) where she is able to freely share her rich experience to support less experienced staff in the development of their practice. Catherine, a Probation Officer agrees: “Gloria is one of the first people I met in PBNI and in my opinion she just embodies the organisation. She is the most passionate individual who you will meet in PBNI in relation to our service users, our practice, and our role.”
Amanda Stewart: “In recent years she has worked tirelessly to ensure that new and less experienced Probation officers have gained the wisdom of her experience and is fiercely proud of what Probation do and how we do it and for me she exemplifies public service at its very best. I am hugely grateful for the support and challenge that she gives to me as Chief Executive, for her passion for work, her empathy for her clients and an unwavering commitment to make a positive impact in changing lives for safer communities.”
Patricia Higgins, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Social Care Council added:
“We would like to offer our congratulations to Gloria on her award and 40 years of service to social work as a probation officer. This is especially significant as she receives her award this week, as we all celebrate World Social Work Day. It's great to see such dedication acknowledged and rewarded as an exemplar of what social workers do, empowering people to make changes in their lives for the better.”
Find out more about The Butler Trust online.
Media Contact: PBNI Communications Unit on 02890 522522 or 07825 897955