The College’s Annual Prizegiving took place at St Edmundsbury Cathedral at the end of June.
On a glorious summer evening, more than fifty prize winners met their sponsors before the ceremony in a marquee alongside the Cathedral Refectory. Many of the prizes are sponsored by local businesses and organisations, including Bury In Bloom, Suffolk Youth & Connexions Service and Partnership In Care.
Others are awarded by individuals who have some connection with the College, like Paul and Jennifer Hewes who sponsor an award in memory of their daughter Penelope.
Fifty seven prizes were awarded to students who have excelled in a range of achievements. Prize winners were supported and applauded by around 200 guests, made up of family, friends, College staff and employers.
Betty Milburn MBE welcomed everyone to the event. She said it was a particularly poignant occasion for her because, after 10 years, it would be her last as a Chair of College Governors.
Principal Dr Ann Williams gave an introductory address in which she explained how difficult it was for staff to choose a winner for these prizes. She said that each of the winners will have made a significant impression on their tutors.
She said that visitors often commented on the ‘buzz’ around College, which is vibrant with students of all ages, eager to learn. Prize winners cover a wide range of ages, reflecting the diversity of the College’s students. Of 19,000 students, 12,000 are over 19 years of age and 850 are 14-16 year old school students.
Dr Andy Wood, Chief Executive of Adnams Brewery and Chairman of Choose Suffolk Tourism Partnership, was the keynote speaker. After congratulating the prize winners, Mr Wood admitted that he himself had not done well at school, although he passed the 11+ and went to grammar school.
He said he was “a football-loving rebel”.
His upbringing in a multicultural area of London was the foundation for his pluralism and belief in people’s potential. A family move to rural Norfolk in the 1970s was a culture shock, and Mr Wood left school with few qualifications.
However once he started work, at Norwich Union, his ability to get the best out of others and help develop their potential was recognised and he was quickly given a management role. He believes that encouragement and praise are better managerial tools than criticism and disapproval and this approach has paid off.
Norwich Union supported Mr Wood in training and he was “bitten by the bug of education and learning” going on to attain a doctorate.
He said: “This learning has obviously been good for me and, for all of you here, I hope the learning you have undertaken has awakened something in you, the way that it did for me. For me, it awakened an inquisitiveness that, quite clearly, is the most important gift learning has given me.”
He said that Adnams is a ‘terrific’ business that is replete with stories of organisational and individual success. Mr Wood believes that talent and human potential are abundant within organisations, if only they are given the right conditions and circumstances to flourish.
He said: “Encouraging personal growth of this kind is my principal role as Chief Executive of Adnams.
“Some of you are reaching the end of a chapter – I do hope you see it as the end of a chapter, not the end of the whole book. The opportunities presented to you through your learning will be immense.”
After the ceremony, there was a reception with drinks and canapés for winners, sponsors, guests and College staff, a celebratory end to a delightful evening.
Presentation photographs of prize winners are available to order from Peter Green Photography - visit his website and click on the red button for online albums or call 01449 736910.
Prize winners 2010
The MENTA Business Award, Calum Warden
The EADT Prize, Charlotte Ruddock.
The National Westminster Bank plc Shield, Gareth Ruddock.
The Compass Point Recruitment Shield, Alfie Cornwall.
The Gross & Co Trophy, Alannah Pilbrow.
The Glasswells Cup, Lillie Jenkins.
The Academy of Finance Prize, Michael Hickman.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development Prize, Sam McKussac.
The Travel and Tourism Prize, Lucinda Nurse.
The Herga Leadership Award, Teresa Hawes.
The Carlton Trophy, Lucy Daniels.
The Contact Direct Trophy, Jade Castle.
The National Hairdressers’ Federation Award, Bethany Brown.
The National Hairdressers’ Federation Trophy, Kerry Bullock.
The Mature Hairdressing Student of the Year, Camille Slaughter.
The Level 3 Beauty Therapy Massage Student of the Year, Paula Gardiner.
The Thomas Ridley Trophy, Thomas Garwood.
The Center Parcs Trophy, Hannah Mannell.
The Service Industries Work Based Candidate of the Year, Sachdeep Singh.
The Russum Cup, Kersha Haynes.
The National Trust Prize, Daniel Webb
The Corney & Barrow Wine Award, Gemma Candy.
The Elizabeth Ann Kent Cup, Emily Webb.
The Craft Catering Student of the Year, Amy Caringi-Lavere.
The Bury St Edmunds Learning Centre Prize, Victoria Lawson.
The Haverhill Learning Centre Prize, Mark McKeon.
The Stowmarket Learning Centre Prize, Daniel Newton.
The Sudbury Learning Centre Prize, Janett Tokley
The Certificate of Excellence, Kiera-Rose Riley.
The Penelope Hewes Award for Achievement, Sadie Jacobs
The Whitworth Medal, Natalie Lipscomb.
The Jeffries Shield, Ben Wallis.
The Bury Chamber of Commerce & Industry Shield, David Firth.
The Delphi Trophy, John Winwood
The Cocksedge Building Contractors Shield, Andrew Lee-Amies.
The Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering Award, Daniel Moss.
The Lark Technology Derek Stuteley Cup, Joel Branch.
The E Rand Perpetual Challenge Cup, David Morley.
The Harry Langley Prize for Best National Diploma Student in Construction, Emir Ahmed.
The Suffolk Housing Society Prize, Maddy Barrett.
The School of Applied and Social Sciences Prize, Jack Eglington.
The St Edmundsbury Leisure Services Cup, Nina Green.
The Registered Nursing Home Award, Charlotte Skinner.
The Partnership In Care Award, Nanette Phillips.
The Philips/Avent Award, Charlotte Graves.
The West Suffolk Hospital Clinical Prize, Sarah Ashford
The Access to Higher Education (Health and Social Care) Trophy, Prudence Chance
The Access to Higher Education (Humanities and Social Sciences) Prize, Wymark Perry.
The Individual Achievement Award, Sam Cunnah.
The Suffolk Youth & Connexion Service Award, Linda Lebbie.
The Barclay Motors Cup, Amy Roper.
The Fowlmere Young Engineer of the Year Award, Harry Marchant.
The Bury in Bloom Trophy Dean Clarke.
The Sportsperson of the Year, Alex Dunbar.
The Mayor of St Edmundsbury Borough Council Equal Opportunities (Gender) Shield, Tomytha Tom.
The Governors’ Prize, Tiffany Clark