Wednesday 4th July saw the third of the STAR Awards events for 2007. This year's STAR Awards also mark our 25th anniversary as, for the first time, we are holding six regional events, from which the winners will go forward to our national STAR Awards in November.
The Central & Midlands area were the hosts for this regional event and Stuart Knowles, Executive Director of Employment and Dee Bremerkamp, Head of Young People's Services highlighted the many successes and achievements of the clients, staff, mentors, volunteers, employers and partner organisations who were in attendance at the awards held in Coventry.
Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste Hay in the soap presented the awards to the worthy winners. Kieron was particularly enthusiastic about the charity's work with young people and was especially interested in the Individual Achievement short-list, which includes a number of young people whose futures were looking pretty bleak, until they bloomed with the help of local employers and Shaw Trust's Young People's Services (YPS). "All of the work Shaw Trust does is brilliant and the more people who know about it, the better," says Kieron.
The winners, chosen from almost 50 shortlisted nominees, at Central & Midland's first ever STAR Awards were:
National Employer Award: Wilkinsons.
Local Employer: Peakhouse Foods Ltd.
Partner Organisation: South Birmingham College.
Workplace Mentor: Susan Austin.
Shaw Trust Member of Staff: Anne Lynch.
Individual Achievement: Wayne Jeremy (Sheer Determination Award), Gail Wood (Striving for Success Award), Mark Bentley (Growing Confidence Award).
Special Recognition Award: West Midlands Police.
The winners will go forward to take part in the Trust's fourth annual national Star Awards final in London in November.
Congratulations to all of our nominees and winners!
