Downpatrick office welcomes local partners to open day

Published date:

The Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) Downpatrick office in the Downshire Civic Centre opened its doors on Thursday 21 September to local partners to engage & share experience.

As part of probation's communications and engagement strategy, 2023-24 will see a renewed focus on enhanced local engagement. Area Managers across Northern Ireland are holding a stakeholder engagement event in each local office inviting key local partners to an open morning or information session about the local work that is carried out.

Probation Area Manager Roisin Leckey welcomed CEO Amanda Stewart OBE & Board Chair Max Murray MBE who met probation staff and stakeholders including South Down MP Chris Hazzard who said; “great to meet the team and get an insight into your important work”, and Councillor Oonagh Hanlon Chair of the Newry, Mourne & Down Policing and Community Safety Partnership along with other NM&D PCSP members.

During this open office event, guests were invited to tour the office and meet staff from the Downpatrick Probation team to hear about our work within the local community. There was also an opportunity to visit the Community Service project at the Downshire Victorian Garden where people sentenced to Community Service hours do unpaid work maintaining the garden and assisting the South Eastern Trusts manager Clare McCawley.

The event was very well attended with guests from Life Change Changes Lives, Bryson, Police, South East Trust Children's Services team, Community Advice service and Quoile Countryside Park. 

l-r at the PBNI Downpatrick open office event Probation Board member Bria Mongan, Assistant Director Emer Loughran, Board Chair Max Murray MBE, MP Chris Hazzard, Councillor Oonagh Hanlon, Chief Executive Amanda Stewart OBE and Director of Operations Gilli