Warwick Wonders and Wows - December 2022
We are delighted to announce the winners of our first ever Warwick Wonders & Wows awards.
Nominated by you, the awards celebrate the amazing people we work with and the work that we do together.
Over 250 people and projects were nominated. Stuart Croft, Vice Chancellor, said that he was delighted to read so many individual stories of kindness, dedication and achievement that it made choosing winners an “almost impossible task.”
After reading through the entries he said: “It’s inspiring, heart-warming and makes me feel even prouder to be part of this community.” Three colleagues and two projects were selected by the Vice Chancellor to receive awards, which were presented at the Festive Drinks held at the Slate on 19 December.
You can congratulate the winners and share anecdotes in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Warwick Wonders
There were three winners of the Warwick Wonders awards, which celebrate the people we are proud to work with. The Wonders recognise colleagues who have gone above and beyond to make a positive difference. These people enrich our community and demonstrate what we value.
The Warwick Wonder winners are:
Veronica O'Loughlin, Estates
Veronica O'Loughlin (Ronnie) has worked as a cleaning assistant at Claycroft for over 20 years. She goes above and beyond her role to support fellow staff and students. Ronnie cares, listens and helps to create a culture of inclusion.
After receiving the award, Ronnie said:
“Your energy and friendliness can help people stay positive and motivated, especially students. We take care of the students, if they need anything we’re there for them, which is part of our role. I feel this is especially important for disabled students.”
Prof David Whitehouse, Engineering
Emeritus Professor David Whitehouse was nominated by Wanda Lewis for a lifetime of achievement. An extremely talented man, David has made outstanding contributions to both academia and industry.
Now at the age of 85, he continues to promote the University’s name and inspires younger academics both here and at other establishments, as well as leading figures in industry.
Receiving the award David said:
“I’ve won many awards in my life, but this is the first one I’ve ever received from Warwick. It feels brilliant!”
David Golding, Community Safety
David Golding, a member of our Community Safety team, was recognised for being a ‘mental health hero’. On hand to provide a listening ear and crucial support for members of his team struggling with their mental health, he truly supports the message that it’s ‘ok to not be ok’.
David said:
“If you know someone who may be struggling with their well-being, the advice I would give is to just listen. Be the person that asks how they are and if you feel there is something wrong, ask them again. A lot of the time, that can help them open up and feel more comfortable to speak.”
“The best thing about working at Warwick is the people. It’s an incredibly supportive environment, not only for students but also for the staff. For me, I feel it’s been the best environment that I’ve been the best version of myself in.”
- David Golding, Community Safety
Warwick Wows
There were two winners of the Warwick Wows, which celebrate the amazing work, projects and achievements that happen here at the University.
Our Warwick Wow winners are:
Warwick Institute of Engagement, Resonate Programme, Michael Scott, Kerry Baker and team
For translating the Resonate Festival into the Resonate Programme led by Kerry Baker working with James Brown and Laura Harford and the wider Warwick Institute of Engagement (WIE) team.
The Resonate Festival started as part of the University's contribution to Coventry City of Culture. It was a year-long programme of events and activities including exhibitions, film screenings, talks, debates and family days.
Thanks to the work of the team, the Resonate Programme is now a recognisable brand that supports University staff and students to deliver a variety of public engagement events and activities for all ages and communities, across Coventry, Warwick, Leamington Spa and Birmingham. It was recognised for driving forward the University’s strategic aim of regional leadership.
Talking about the excitement of the Resonate Programme, WIE Associate Director Kerry Baker said:
“It’s an opportunity for all our staff and students to get out working with communities, collaborating and co-producing events and activities. It’s wonderful to see the work and skills of the University extending beyond the campus across the entire region.”
Meno Moves Ltd, Marsha Hughes, Human Resources
HR Adviser, Marsha Hughes won a Warwick Wow award for her project, Meno Moves Ltd, an exercise class specially choreographed for those in the menopause. After each class, she also offers a Meno café allowing ladies to talk.
Marsha is a Menopause Champion at WMS who is passionate about women’s health. She was rewarded for her work on inclusion, specifically for creating safe spaces to talk about women’s health and for making sure any colleague going through the menopause knows they are not alone.
Marsha said:
“I am delighted to receive this award and would like to thank colleagues at WMS for giving me the opportunity and inspiration to develop this initiative. I feel really passionate about supporting ladies through menopause.
I have recently expanded my offering to include more general fitness to ladies with my new chair fit class and I am working with local GP surgeries to offer fitness and wellness as well as meno cafes.
I am excited about the year ahead and looking forward to seeing where my Meno Moves journey will take myself and the community of women I work with.”
Congratulations to them all! And thank you to everyone who told us who you thought should be celebrated.
We received a large number of high quality nominations, so the Vice-Chancellor will be awarding further winners in the coming months from the nominations received so far.
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