Brandon staff and trustees gathered at the Winter Gardens in Weston-super-Mare to celebrate our 30th birthday at the 2024 Staff Awards grand final.
Around 200 finalists and their guests were joined by Brandon trustees to announce the finalists in nine award categories and reveal the highly commended finalists and overall winners.
Brandon was formed in 1994 in Bristol at a time when people with learning disabilities and autistic people, were often forced to live in state institutions. Brandon’s vision since it formed is to create a world where people of different abilities are enabled to live their lives the way they want to. As institutions closed, we supported people to live independently, often in their own homes.
Thirty years on, Brandon now supports more than 1,600 children, young people, and adults with learning disabilities and autism, offering support ranging from a few hours a week to enable people to access their local community, to residential care with nursing for those with more complex health needs.
Party time in Weston-super-Mare
At the Winter Gardens on 4 July, guests enjoyed a drinks reception followed by a three-course meal before the awards were opened by Brandon’s Chief Executive, Helen England. Helen pledged that while we celebrate the progress social care has made in the past three decades, there is still more to do to enable people we support to live ‘gloriously ordinary lives’.
Award category presenters included supported employees at Brandon social enterprise Banwell Pottery, who made more than 400 30th anniversary finalists’ medals presented at our area events, as well as the 16 trophies handed to overall winners at the grand final.
Brandon’s Adventurers, our employees with lived experience who provide consulting services for co-production projects, also presented categories, including to our overall winners of winners, the Brandon Being Brilliant awards at the end of the evening.
The award categories and winners
The categories for 2024 were designed to celebrate our milestone anniversary year, as well as our five values. The 30th birthday event also included recognition for supported employees, bank workers, and long-serving colleagues who have worked at Brandon for at least 20 years.
Equip Award
Presented by our Elm Tree Farm social enterprise staff and supported employees. Finalists showed they are prepared, provide access, and are consistent in everything that they do.
Finalists
- Hunters Green
- Craven Way/Hilary Drive
- Mount Adon
- Badgers Close
- Playlink
- Abi Ball
- Retail team
- Nick Pugh
Highly commended: Playlink children and young people’s support and outreach team in Bristol, Bath, and South Gloucestershire.
WINNER: Craven Way/Hilary Drive team in Oxfordshire
Involve Award
Presented by our involvement team including Adventurers Lucy, Blake, Tom, Nathan, and Peter. Finalists showed that they deliver our Involve value, through making time, being collaborative, and providing choice.
Finalists
- Winchester team
- Helen Brown
- Kimmins Court
- Passage Road
- Kirsty Hart
- Rory Jarvis
- The eBay sales team
- Health and safety team
Highly commended: Helen Brown in Oxfordshire and Rory Jarvis in Cornwall
WINNER: Health and safety team
Support Award
Presented by the Banwell Pottery team, including supported employees who made the finalists’ medals and trophies. Finalists showed they had worked to build confidence in the people they support, advocate for others, and foster community.
Finalists
- Old Elmore
- Jo Talbot
- Heathercroft
- Pizey Avenue
- Laurel Drive
- Park Road
- Alex Bird
- Anna Poole
Highly commended: Alex Bird, project coordinator at Enterprise Packaging
WINNER: Old Elmore in Gloucestershire
Recognise Award
Presented by Brandon Trustee, Mark Bramwell. Finalists showed that everyone at Brandon is valued through listening, making things clear, and being responsive.
Finalists
- Rachel Stone
- Julie Jones
- Dawn Dacosta
- Hampstead Road
- Bayham Road
- Stephanie Williams
- Banwell Pottery
- Gareth Williams
Highly commended: Julie Jones in Oxfordshire and Banwell Pottery in Worle, Weston-super-Mare
WINNER: Hampstead Road team in Bristol
Challenge Award
Presented by Kate Doodson, Brandon’s Chief Transformation, Performance and Digital Officer. Finalists showed they embodied the Brandon value, Challenge, by taking positive risks, being adaptable, and by being accountable.
Finalists
- Jeanette Williams
- Emmanuel Chukwuma
- Veronica Jordan
- Wraxall Road
- Chapel Hill
- Trewarne
- Alison Gamble
- The Adventurers
Highly commended: Trewarne in Cornwall
WINNER: The Adventurers
Bank Worker Award
Presented by Gareth Williams, our Flexible Workforce Manager. Brandon’s bank worker finalists step in at a moment’s notice, represent our values, and are brilliant team players.
Finalists
- Yeshi Yinko
- David Emburey
- Nicola Webster
- John Kimani
- Paula Furze
- Madeleine Stephens
Highly commended: Yeshi Yinko in Gloucestershire and John Kimani in Bristol
WINNER: Paula Furze in Cornwall
Supported Employee Award
Presented by Chief Business Development, Enterprise and Partnerships Officer, Tracy Date. Finalists have gained work skills and vocational training which means they are a fantastic team member, they represent Brandon’s values, and they have developed their skills in their role.
Finalists
- Dan Bennett
- James Beel
- Elm Tree Farm Shop
- Ian Ricketts
- Enterprise Packaging
Highly commended: All finalists
WINNER: Ian Ricketts
Long Service Award
Sponsored by Unison, presented by Kim Whelan, Area Manager for Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. Finalists have dedicated their careers to working with autistic people and people with learning disabilities, and have worked at Brandon for more than 20 years.
Judges decided the finalists could not be separated and therefore, everyone was a winner.
- Kathryn Skinner in Gloucestershire
- Paula Terziu in Oxfordshire
- Michelle Collette in North Somerset
- Catherine Jackson in Bristol
- Julie Kendall in Cornwall
- Emma Carey, Social Enterprise Manager
- Tanya Abbott, Chief Operating and Compliance Officer
Brandon Being Brilliant Award
Presented by Chief Executive, Helen England, and Brandon Adventurer, Blake. This award was presented in honour of our 30th anniversary to the winner of winners.
Highly commended: Ian Ricketts and The Adventurers
WINNERS: Tanya Abbott and Old Elmore
