Isle of Man Prison has announced the promotion of three prison officers to the rank of Senior Officer.
Martin Phillips, Bob Quilliam and Johannes Vorster will take up their new roles on 4th October.
Johannes Vorster hails from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where he worked for 16 years as a prison officer.
He moved to the Isle of Man after marrying a Manx woman and applied to the Isle of Man Prison after a stint as landlord at the George Hotel, Castletown.
He says, "I love the Isle of Man and am sorry I didn’t travel abroad sooner.
"Everyone has been so welcoming here and it has given us so much. I started working at the prison in July 2004 and am looking forward to taking up my new post as Reception Manager with the Operations Group."
Bob Quilliam has been a prison officer since 1998, working for six years in the young offenders’ wing at Victoria Road, then four years with the segregation unit.
Next month, he will become one of the five Senior Officers in charge of the male adult prisoners on A and B wings.
"The job has changed quite dramatically during my service," he explained.
"We have much more modern facilities and no longer have two or three prisoners sharing a cell.
"The most satisfying aspect of the job is helping prisoners to become better citizens and hopefully forge a better life for themselves on the outside.
"Best of all, is if we never see them inside the prison again."
Martin Phillips joined the IoM Prison Service six years ago, previously having served 12 years in the British Army.
Based in Germany and the UK, he saw service in the first Gulf War in 1991 and also in Northern Ireland, rising to Sergeant (Detachment Commander) in the Royal Artillery.
He successfully applied to join the Prison in 2003 after two years undertaking resettlement training and working as a welder making gritter lorries in Ripon.
He says, "My father was a prison officer for 30 years so it wasn’t too much of a culture shock for me to join the Isle of Man Prison, and it has been nice to stay in a uniformed, disciplined service.
"I have worked previously in the prison’s segregation and reception areas and am also looking forward to taking up a Senior Officer role in charge of A and B wings, and all the challenges that will present."
The Prison’s Head of Business Operations Michelle Mitchell comments, "The Isle of Man Prison Service is embarking on an exciting period of cultural business development and there will be many challenges and opportunities to be realised, through the enhancement of organisational initiatives as well as the investment in our staff.
"These promotions to Senior Officer level are well-deserved and complete the team of first line managers, whose roles are pivotal in managing change and ensuring improved services are consistently delivered within their own areas."
Pictured: (l-r): Bob Quilliam, Johannes Vorster and Martin Phillips in the prison's central hub.
