27 November
In the length of time Lawrie Ferrie has worked for the Department of Corrections, the average New Zealander would have had around eight different employers. It is no wonder then that he was honoured with a special presentation today for his 42 years of service.
Alongside Lawrie, 30 other custodial and non-custodial Corrections staff from Christchurch Men’s, Christchurch Women’s and Rolleston Prisons also had their long service acknowledged.
“The average New Zealander spends around 5 years with one employer so to have a number of staff who have been with the Department for longer than that, some much, much longer, is extraordinary. I am delighted to be part of recognising that dedication,” says Southern Regional Manager Paul Monk.
“Corrections staff play an important role in making our communities safer by reducing re-offending and it can be a demanding role requiring immense dedication.
“The staff recognised today have served a combined 756 years with the Department. Having these staff with us for this amount of time means we are retaining invaluable organisational knowledge and experience and that needs to be acknowledged.
“I thank each and every one of today’s recipients for the work they do and also for the advice and guidance they provide to the staff we have joining the Department.”
Mr Monk says today’s recipients included corrections officers, unit managers, Corrections Inmate Employment staff as well as those working in administration.
“There are a variety of career options within Corrections and while it can be a very demanding job, it can also be extremely rewarding with staff having a real passion for their work.
“It is this passion along with their long-standing dedication that we honoured today.”
The award ceremony was held at Russley Golf Club and was attended by family and friends of the recipients as well as Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews, who made the presentation to Lawrie.
Four staff received their 14-year medal, 21 accepted their 21-year clasp, three their 28-year clasp and two staff achieved their 35-year clasp.
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