10 years of the Essex Restorative and Mediation Service celebrated by supporters and volunteers

A decade of dedication, innovation, and impact by the Essex Restorative and Mediation Service was celebrated by supporters and volunteers last night.

Set up in 2015 by the PFCC Essex, with the vision to embed restorative justice across Essex the Essex Restorative and Mediation Service (ERMS) has now helped thousands of Essex people involved in conflict, including criminal offences.

At a celebration held last night at the Lion Inn, Boreham, the successes of the ERMS were outlined to supporters and volunteers gathered for this special event, including Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Mrs Julie Fosh, the High Sheriff of Essex, and Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Restorative justice is a philosophy of accountability, empathy and repair and the Essex Restorative and Mediation Service embodies this. The PFCC remains committed to supporting its growth and integration in the justice system.

“My thanks to everyone who has contributed to the ERMS story so far. This is a moment to celebrate the successes of the past decade and look forward to building the future, one conversation, one resolution, one restored relationship at a time.”

In recognition of the excellent service performed by the service over the past decade, Kasia Grabka and Emma Goddard, two key staff members of the ERMS, were last night presented with awards by Mrs Julie Fosh, the High Sheriff of Essex, for great and valuable services to the county community.

The event also heard the experiences of several volunteer facilitators, who outlined the worth and importance of their work and the training and support they have received from the ERMS.

Over the past ten years the ERMS has been recognised by winning a Restorative Service Quality Mark (RSQM), a Lord Ferrers Award and has been shortlisted for Essex Police Team of the Year. Richard Wicks, a volunteer facilitator with the service also won the Lord Ferrers Volunteer of the Year.

The work of the ERMS recognises the power of Restorative Justice to deliver the prevention aims of the PFCC’s Police and Crime Plan 2024-2028.

Restorative processes use communication between people who have been harmed, and have caused harm, to allow them to work towards positive outcomes in a safe environment.

The service is impartial and works to achieve a positive way forward for everyone involved. As well as being very experienced with working with criminal behaviour, the ERMS also works with anti-social behaviour and even arrange meetings involving entire communities where issues are affecting them.

The team train volunteer facilitators from across Essex and over the past decade the service has expanded to mediate in a growing number of cases involving domestic abuse and retail crime.