Life-changing crime reduction and rehabilitation project wins prestigious national award

A successful Nottinghamshire Police crime prevention scheme which has reduced reoffending by targeting and rehabilitating people responsible for the biggest impact on retail crime has won a prestigious national award. 

Our Open 2 Recovery (O2R) project is focused on addressing the underlying root causes of why individuals commit crime, such as drug and alcohol use, and by working with these people it provides them with comprehensive wraparound support to help them with their long-term recovery. 

The scheme involves police working closely with partner agencies to help people break their cycle of offending through a trauma-led approach, allowing individuals with complex needs to find the right help and support including accessing mental health and learning services. 

A number of those who have successfully gone through our O2R programme have been able to turn their lives around.

They have not gone on to reoffend and have since given back to the business community by providing crime prevention advice to retailers and security product manufacturers through their own lived experiences.  

Some of our rehabilitated individuals also now support the project by providing peer mentor support to other hard-to-reach individuals considering or undertaking the scheme.  

The success of our O2R project, as well as the whole team of people who work on our scheme, were recognised on Thursday night (18 June 2026) when the initiative won a prestigious national award - namely the Heroes of Retail Risk Awards' Rehabilitation Award. 

This accolade - recognising initiatives which encourage rehabilitation and discourage reoffending - was presented by TV personality Sian Jones at an awards ceremony in London. 

To date, we have supported 37 individuals who have engaged with our O2R scheme. 

In respect of the project's impact, analysis of a two-year period demonstrates a predicted more than £1 million of goods were prevented from being stolen from local retailers.    

In addition, it has been measured that a predicted more than £385,000 less was spent on illicit drugs - hitting local drug dealers and organised criminals in the pocket.  

These figures don’t include the time and costs saved to the police, health services, courts, and prisons.  

Among the partner agencies which work with us and support the scheme include the Nottingham Recovery Network (NRN) and the Clean Slate criminal justice substance use service. 

A number of businesses also support our scheme including Co-op, Central England Co-op, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Mitie and Smoke Screen. 

Our O2R programme is also part-funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, with other funding providers including Probation.   

Business crime officer Police Constable Jo Baxter, of Nottinghamshire Police, works on the O2R project which was developed to reduce crime and make communities and businesses safer in Nottinghamshire. 

She said: "Our whole O2R team are absolutely delighted to win this national award. It's a really proud moment for us all and amazing recognition for the project which requires so much support, motivation and passion from all of those people involved in it. 

"It's really rewarding doing the O2R scheme and it’s equally lovely for it to be recognised nationally that we're putting the hard work in and making such a difference to so many people's lives, their families who have seen the positive difference we have helped make to their loved one’s lives, and the communities that they live in. 

"We're constantly there for the individuals we engage with.

"No matter what struggles or issues they are facing, we're there to put the O2R provision in place.

"Wherever they are in their recovery journey, we won't give up on them and that's what has helped a lot of people take those steps forward into recovery."

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: "This award is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the dedication, innovation and compassion of everyone involved in the Open 2 Recovery programme.

"Too often, people trapped in cycles of addiction, trauma and offending are seen only for the crimes they commit.

"Open 2 Recovery takes a different approach by tackling the underlying causes of offending and giving people the support they need to make lasting changes to their lives.

"The results speak for themselves with fewer crimes committed, fewer victims, safer businesses and communities, and individuals who are now making positive contributions to society."