The Clink Charity has scooped its third award in three months; this time winning the Longford Prize, an award which praises initiatives dedicated to penal and social reform.

The Longford Prize recognises the contribution of an individual, group or organisation working in the area of penal or social reform. The win is a major triumph for the prisoner chef training scheme run by the Clink Charity.

Lord David Ramsbotham, patron of the Longford Trust and Shami Chakrabati, director of Liberty, presented Al Crisci, Founder Trustee of the Clink and Chris Moore, chief executive, with a certificate and a prize of £1,500, before the annual Longford Lecture was delivered by Channel Four presenter Jon Snow.

The judges congratulated the charity on providing genuinely meaningful work for prisoners at its restaurant and teaching them skills which secure them jobs on release.

Chris Moore, chief executive of the charity said: “The Clink is as much about teaching academic and craft skills as it is about creating an environment in which offenders can develop social skills, and as a result, personal pride and self-worth.”