The Suzy Lamplugh Trust National Personal Safety Awards mark work in personal safety, by people or groups committed to personal safety in the workplace, in communities, in universities or schools. This year’s ceremony was in central London, the day after the March 22 terror attack in Westminster.
Dame Vera Baird DBE QC, the former Labour MP now Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, collected the award for Safer Workplace, in recognition of her commitment to improving how workplaces support employees suffering domestic abuse. Other winners included Hayley Child, pictured left, from Lincolnshire County Council, who was awarded Best Safety Campaign for the ‘Ask for Angela’ project to give people in bars and pubs a safe way of exiting an uncomfortable date or other situation, which gained worldwide attention; and the University of the West of Scotland, that took home the prize for Safer Campus. Pictured right is Jacqui Hames, a long-time Met Police detective and a presenter of the BBC TV programme Crimewatch, who was a return presenter of the annual awards.
This year’s Peoplesafe Personal Safety Champion Award went to Sarah Ryan from Danone Nutricia, who identified a need for, and set up a project to improve the safety of Danone employees when lone working.
The winners in full:
Safer Workplace Award – Dame Vera Baird DBE QC
Safer Community Award – Rotherham Steering Group
Inspiring Individual Award – Christina O’Kelly, Houses of Parliament
Taking Stalking Seriously Award – Dr Jane Monckton-Smith, University of Gloucester
Young Persons Safety Award – Safer Wyre and The ContinU Trust; and Robert Mays School (joint first place)
Safer Campus Award – The Standing Safe Team, University of West of Scotland
Best Safety Campaign – Hayley Child, Lincolnshire County Council
People Safe Personal Champion Award – Sarah Ryan, Danone Nutricia.
Rachel Griffin, Chief Executive of the London-based Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said: “The awards recognise the hard work of various individuals and agencies that promote and ensure personal safety. This year, we have been overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of the projects nominated. We’d like to thank everybody that joined us in celebrating and recognising all the individuals and groups, who through their work and commitment to personal safety, make a real contribution to keeping people safe.”
This year’s awards were sponsored by PeopleSafe, the lone worker safety product company. Ian Johannessen, Peoplesafe director, spoke at the ceremony at Church House, Westminster.
