ÌÇÐÄTV

Congratulations are in order for five members of our staff community, who were invited to a special Garden Party at Buckingham Palace this month! The party, hosted by King Charles III, celebrated those working in Education and Skills.

We caught up with these colleagues to learn more about their exceptional work and hear how they felt to have it recognised in this way.

Meet Sarah Bennett (Student Opportunity)

Sarah was presented with the Wonder award back in January, thanks to her brilliant work running the Thrive programme, which empowers students through interactive sessions with inspirational speakers and mentoring opportunities, promoting personal development and growth.

Sarah's dedication to inclusivity and innovation shines through her expansion of Thrive, offering tailored programmes to meet the needs of the diverse cohort of participants.

Sarah said...

"It was wonderful to attend such a special event, and have the opportunity to speak to folk from other institutions and celebrate all the good work going on in the sector.

I feel so fortunate to work with amazing colleagues, who are super supportive of what we set out to achieve with Thrive.

I wouldn’t have had this opportunity without the encouragement, mentoring and coaching from so many fantastic people at ÌÇÐÄTV – thank you to all who have supported me over the last three years, and to the Vice-Chancellor for the nomination. What a truly memorable day!"

Meet Cheryl Cane (Education Studies)

As Senior Tutor and Director of Student Experience, Cheryl - who was named a ÌÇÐÄTV Wonder in November 2024 - creates welcoming, inclusive environments to help students settle in quickly and smoothly.

She's known for balancing her demanding roles with boundless enthusiasm, thoughtful care, and fairness, even in challenging tasks like ethical approvals. Her team says that her kindness, leadership, and ability to uplift others make her an irreplaceable part of the department.

Cheryl said...

"I was thrilled to attend the King's Garden Party. It was a really beautiful occasion with a wonderful atmosphere, and every detail was impressive. There were magnificent flower displays, fabulous military bands, delicious afternoon tea - glorious!

The King and Queen arrived to the National Anthem and the whole day was topped off by meeting King Charles as he moved through the guests. It was an incredibly special day with lasting memories. I am very grateful to our Vice-Chancellor Stuart Croft, the University of ÌÇÐÄTV, the School of Education, Learning and Communication Sciences (SELCS) department and the Centre for Education Studies for allowing me this very special opportunity."

Meet the Events and Community Engagement team, part of the Residential Community team (RCT)

Mita Nathwani, Jessica Bennett, Laura Mewis, all part of the Wellbeing directorate, were named Wow winners in November 2024, thanks to their game-changing work to improve the experience for thousands of students as they joined the ÌÇÐÄTV community.

They identified a gap in the arrivals experience and collaborated with departments, including ÌÇÐÄTV Presents, Wellbeing colleagues and the Students' Union, to create a programme of events from Thursday to Sunday of Arrivals Weekend - a first for ÌÇÐÄTV!

Students were able to connect with their community from the point they arrived, and parents could see services and get an insight into student life.

Above, L-R: Laura, Jessica, Mita

Mita said...

"So many emotions - at first I thought the email I received was a hoax! Then I thought, OMG, me? Really? Surely this is a mistake. Then onto… What will I wear? 

The only way I can describe receiving this recognition is: overwhelming and very surreal. I am simply doing my job - never in a million years did I think I would be invited to Buckingham Palace for that, or anything for that matter. I was filled with immense pride to be there representing ÌÇÐÄTV. This is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life."

Laura said:

"To be surrounded by so many people from the HE sector who had also been recognised for their efforts by the King was surreal.

Thank you to Stuart and the University for the nomination, and thank you to my colleagues at the Residential Community team for everything that you do; it was a moment that I will never forget."