Celebrating Excellence at the Inspire Justice Awards
September 08, 2025Posted by:
This year, PeoplePlus selected four outstanding colleagues to put forward for the Inspire Justice Awards: Mel O’Dwyer, Emma Priestman, Amanda Davis and Suzi Tomlinson. We’re proud of the difference each of them makes every day in prison education.
From those nominations, Mel O’Dwyer, Catering & Hospitality Tutor at HMP Hollesley Bay, has been chosen by the judges as a finalist for Educator of the Year.
Mel has been teaching at Hollesley Bay since 2022, delivering high-quality vocational training in catering and hospitality. Her learners work towards accredited qualifications in hospitality, barista skills and customer service — with 109 completions and a 100% pass rate in 2024 alone.
What makes Mel’s approach stand out is the way she brings real industry practice into the prison environment. Learners gain hands-on experience at Marsh Barn, the on-site restaurant open to staff and visitors, where they learn to cope with the pace and standards of a real workplace. Feedback consistently shows the difference this makes, with learners describing how the skills and confidence gained on the course have changed their outlook on life after release.
One former learner, now a senior sous chef, said:
“Mel made me realise I can actually have a career after prison. Thank you for giving me the drive to follow a career in hospitality and better myself.”
The awards ceremony takes place in London on 25 September. Whether or not she takes home the title, we are proud to see Mel recognised nationally for her outstanding contribution to prison education. Read more about the awards here and read about our winner from the 2024 awards here
September 08, 2025Posted by:
