A SPECIAL educational needs team working within a South Gloucestershire prison has been presented with an award for the work it does with young offenders.

The team at young offenders' institution Ashfield, in Pucklechuch, was praised in this year's Butler Trust Award Scheme with the Pilgrim Trust Award.

Special needs co-ordinator and team leader, Karen Pollard, and teacher Duncan Mathers represented the nine-strong team at the official award ceremony at Buckingham Palace in March.

The entire team however, has now been congratulated in a special visit by trust chairman Lord Bingham of Cornhill, director Anne Fragniere and Pilgrim Trust director Georgina Nayler.

Remaining team members, Tom May, Ian Tyrrell, Martin Maggs, Lynne Sennett, John Bennett, John Workman and Kristian Taylor were also presented with commemorative pins for their contribution to improving the opportunities for young people held at Ashfield and beyond.

Lord Bingham commented: "The work of the special educational needs team at Ashfield is quite remarkable and epitomises some of the most innovative and wide-ranging projects that go on quietly behind our prison gates.

"With the support of the Pilgrim Trust, it is a pleasure to recognise the dedicated individuals in this team and the very constructive work they do with these young men, on behalf of society."

The team at Ashfield, which has a capacity of 400 offenders aged between 15 and 21, focuses on encouraging young people to access learning.

Education packages are designed to tackle specific offending behaviour and are tailored to individual needs covering areas such as bullying, anger management and harassment. Each young person is placed on an educational programme either in class, in their cell or through an outreach programme and is reviewed weekly to address their needs.