Court Services honoured one of their biggest supporters on Friday — a woman who 'risked it all' to give offenders a second chance at life.

Albertha Waithe has worked with the MarketPlace for more than 27 years and given employment to hundreds of young men and women known to Court Services, even if that meant risking her own job.

She provided people with "hustles" in unloading containers, stacking shelves and other tasks "when many others would turn their backs or turn up their noses to them."

At an open-house ceremony, Ms Waithe spoke of one instance where she hired a young man to work at the Shelly Bay Warehouse without telling her boss.

She said: "I didn't ask my boss anything I just put (Clarence Hill) there, because I felt that if I asked I might not get the answer that I was looking for.

"One of the things that I found out was: one, I'm a hound-dog and number two, that when we respect people like Clarence Hill, they respect us."

Mr. Hill, Bermuda's only Olympic medalist has had numerous run-ins with the law before turning his life around.

When accepting the award, Ms Waithe thanked Court Services and said: "This is such a surprise. I do things but I don't look for a thank you in return other than the individuals that I work with to take the opportunity and the chance that they are given and turn it around for a positive."

Ms Waithe, director of human resources at MarketPlace, is just one of the people committed to giving offenders an opportunity to change.

She is accompanied by dozens of people in the Probation, Parole, Drug Court, Community Service and Community Offender programmes that work day in and day out to help people get back on their feet.

Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Dale Butler spoke on Friday about the importance of avenues like Court Services in the community.

He said: "All of us have been touched in some way by the effects of substance abuse or offending whether it is directly or indirectly. Maybe it was a relative, friend or neighbour who had the experience as a perpetrator or victim.

"The team of dedicated professionals assists clients to achieve more productive lifestyles, minimise offending and delinquent behaviours, and offer an environment to promote abstinence from illegal substances."

Probation Officer Gina Spinicelli and Technical Officer Gavin MacKenzie were also honoured on Friday for winning 'Officer of the Year' awards. Court Services Director Gina Hurst Maybury spoke highly of both winners and said: "These two individuals... have been very vigilant.

"In respects to their duties, they go over and beyond, sometimes they will be here at 7 o'clock in the morning until 10 o'clock at night.

"If a client calls them at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning they are there.

I have seen them shed tears, I've seen them do all sorts of things, but their commitment is never ending."

Honouree Ms Spinicelli told The Royal Gazette she was humbled by the award and explained why she was so committed to her job: "I want everyone to be okay. I don't want people to have to struggle in every aspect of the word."

"Our job is not only to assist with people abstaining their goals, but also the safety and well-being of the community," she explained.