UKROEd honours seven winners in its 2020 Awards event
UKROEd would like to congratulate the seven people who have today received awards for their outstanding contribution to road safety.
The awards event took place before a virtual audience of more than 100 guests. Facilitated by Neil Barrett, the event included presentations by Mary William OBE (Chief Executive of the road safety charity Brake), Sally Lines OBE (Chief Executive of the Road Safety Trust) and by UKROEd’s Chief Executive Ruth Purdie OBE.
Ruth announced the winners in the following order:
The two awards for outstanding contribution to customer service went to the Sussex driver training team and the Safer Essex Roads Partnership booking office team.
Claire Lock of the Sussex Driver Training team responded: “We’re delighted. Our team motto is ‘small and mighty’ and I would like to thank the team who have worked exceptionally hard in what has been the toughest and most challenging year.”
Joanne Biles from Safer Essex Roads Partnership said: “I am very proud of the team. I can say with confidence that without their dedication and hard work, there would have been many drivers out there who would not have been able to benefit from a course.”
The two awards for outstanding contribution to diversity and inclusion went to Glenn Suttenwood, Consultant Regional Manager at TTC, and to Oliver Mayson, Development Manager at DriveSafe.
Glenn said: “It goes without saying that I have had a great deal of support and guidance to drive our aspirations towards diversity and inclusion. My special thanks to the core team I work with on a daily basis and our police colleagues as well.”
Oliver Mayson responded: “I deserve no credit for this. I decided to learn BSL and developed a great love for the Deaf community. Lee has given me the opportunity to let Deaf people embrace NDORS courses. I’ve tried to create courses where people can try to be in their most natural and comfortable environment.”
The award for outstanding contribution to training within the NDORS Scheme went to Ben Davies, National Quality and Development Manager at TTC.
Ben said: “Thank you to everybody who has been involved in the Scheme. We moved from a regional to a national model, with trainers working so hard and achieving so much in the past year.”
The award for outstanding contribution to the overall scheme went to Hilary Wood, Driver Improvement Officer at Safer Essex Roads Partnership.
Hilary said: “We’ve all been through a year like no other. I work within a fantastic team who have all risen to challenges, often adapting at a minute’s notice to make things happen. This team have enabled me to do my job. A big thank you to them all for their extra efforts.”
The award for outstanding leadership in road safety during the COVID-19 pandemic went to Det Ch Supt Andy Cox, Head of Crime and Intelligence at Lincolnshire Police.
Andy said: “It was a real opportunity to be transparent and a voice for change, Policing plays a small part in terms of road danger and road crime. There are so many other agencies involved. This can be an opportunity for change and to bring about a shift in our thinking. Thank you, and I wish you really well.
Ruth summed up: “This event proved an ideal platform for us all to consider the many ways in which we have worked so well together to create and deliver the virtual course solution. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all partners involved in the Scheme. What a year we have just been through! Without everyone’s support, we would not have been able to achieve what we have done!
“What we have come to understand is that it is more than a ‘scheme’. People have real passion and drive for what we do. We play our part in ensuring through the Scheme that Britain’s roads are safer.
“So, a big well done! to the winners and to everyone who was nominated. Thanks to those who took time to make the nominations.”
“The key thing for me now is that we emerge stronger together. We are committed as we move through 20021 that we understand what we have achieved together and that we understand where we have had difficulties – and can find solutions together. We can then really identify the impact we can make on drivers who break the law and attend one of our courses.”
The awards followed three thought-provoking presentations. In her keynote address, Mary Williams identified the vital role of the NDORS Scheme in helping to change driver behaviour. “It’s really important that we recognise the people-centred contributions to crashes,” she said. “People lose focus, they are tempted into bad habits or they are simply human – as we all are. People make errors.
“When the answers are put in front of us – such as the answers of the Safe System – we enjoy them because we care about road danger.
“A road safety statement is not enough, we need a strategy – and that is going to require significant investment with road safety out centre stage.”
Outlining the work of the Road Safety Trust, Sally Lines pointed to the value of having an impact together. “We all do our various activities to make a difference on the roads. Ours is through grant giving to carry out research, pilots and advocacy. We share our vision with UKROEd for zero deaths and serious injuries on the UK’s roads,” she said.
“We are all pulling together to make our roads safer, and we should celebrate this collectively. Everyone does their bit. The Road Safety Trust couldn’t do what it does without your contribution.”
We are all hopeful of a long-term and permanent easing of restrictions so that our 2021 Awards event can be in altogether more congenial circumstances – with an opportunity to come together, acknowledge the work we do and plan for a future free from death and serious injury on our roads.
