A Glasgow minister and prison chaplain has been honoured for ‘outstanding service’ after retiring from the chaplaincy team at HMP Barlinnie.

The Rev Ian McInnes, minister at Glasgow: Dennistoun New, was presented with a Governor’s Award in Recognition of Outstanding Service by the Governor of the prison after 24 years with the team.

Ian, who joined the Prison Chaplaincy Team at Barlinnie in 1998, said: “It was a privilege and an honour to serve as a chaplain, to be invited into the narrative of prisoners’ lives at what can be an extremely vulnerable time for them and sometimes to be there for them when no-one else is, or so it may seem to them. In a sense, prison chaplains have to be as Christ to the offender, to challenge yet not judge, to help them feel accepted by God when they repent though they may have done the unacceptable.

“Working with the prison officers was a great privilege too, getting involved in their lives was an honour: conducting weddings and baptising their children. Hearing of their cares, trials and joys too and sharing banter with them, often about football.

“We often forget about the prison officers as they diligently work behind the locked doors of a prison community. It can be extremely testing work for them at times and they should be commended and held in our prayers because they do a tremendous job.”