How did it feel when you received the email to advise that you had been nominated for a National Diversity Award?
Amazing, exciting and we were so grateful!
After the excitement of the shortlist announcement and after patiently waiting for the final result, how did you feel when it was announced that you were the official winner of the Community Organisation Award for Disability?
We were shocked more than anything! We had so many wonderful individuals/organisations in our category we really didn't believe we were going to win. It was absolutely amazing to win and for us to be able to bring the award into our centre on the Monday after the awards for our students was fantastic.
You are officially a National Diversity Award Winner! Moving forward, how will you utilise
this to further leverage your cause?
We have updated our website to inform visitors that we are winners. We have also included this into our information packs that we provide to potential new students. As it is such a wonderful award to win, we think it important to spread the word as much as possible. When we visit schools/colleges for transition events, we also take our award along with us as part of our display. We enjoy explaining to others what the National Diversity Awards are and how they recognise so many wonderful organisations all over the country.
What were your thoughts on the National Diversity Awards Ceremony?
What a night to remember! It was amazing from the minute we walked in to the minute we left. Everything was so well organised and the setting was beautiful. It was lovely to get to meet so many wonderful people also.
Nominations for the National Diversity Awards 2024 are due to open early next year! What advice would you give to others who are thinking of entering the awards?
Go for it! It is an amazing process to be part of.
Did receiving the award benefit you in any way? If so, how?
It definitely benefited our students as they have been recognised for their hard work. It has also opened up many doors such as the local press reaching out to us and local radio stations. This then promotes what we do so we are able to reach a wider audience and assist more students. Our students have also been offered some day trips as companies have read about us winning this award and have reached out to us.
What have been up to since September, any exciting developments you would like to tell our
audience about?
We used our £1000 winners donation from LUSH to make food hampers for struggling families at Christmas. Compass Hospitality UK matched the donation so we had £2000! With these funds we managed to help over 100 families at Christmas. We also made 100 homemade Scouse Pies from scratch and cooked them and then donated them to a local homeless shelter. We have continued with this since Christmas as our students really enjoyed it and have since made another 100 pies and 100
flapjacks that we also donated. The students have been very busy. We also have lots more planned over
the next few months that we are really excited about