SUSSEX SPRING AWARDS 2008
The 2008 Awards were a resounding success and a proud, prestigious occasion, which celebrated the efforts and achievements of Sussex learners, colleges and training providers. The event took place on Wednesday 19 March at the Hilton Brighton Metropole. At the ceremony, major players in the training and development world in Sussex and beyond joined together to celebrate the best and brightest achievements in training, development and lifelong learning.
The Awards were hosted by GMTV’s news reporter, Marcella Whittingdale. The guest speaker in 2008 was Henry Ball, Regional Director of the Learning and Skills Council South East. The evening attracted over 200 people from across the sector, including the winners from all the awards categories as well as representatives from such organisations as the LSC, the three learning partnerships, colleges, independent training providers and businesses. The 2008 Awards were sponsored and supported by the Learning & Skills Council Sussex, Edexcel, Learning and Skills Network, Sussex Enterprise, Sussex Council of Training Providers, Sussex Advice & Skills, Sussex Learning Network, FE Sussex, Plumpton College and the Hilton Brighton Metropole.
Award Winners and Runners Up
Harry Smith
Harry received a special award for his success in the WorldSkills competition in 2007. At the time Harry was studying at Chichester College. He represented the UK in graphic design at the competition and received a silver medal. Unfortunately Harry was unable to attend the Spring Awards, but you can see a video about him on the Spring Awards 2008 DVD.
Sponsored by FE Sussex
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R&M Scaffolding (Sussex) Ltd
Pictured: Gill Edinburgh from Sussex Enterprise (2nd from left) with Susan and Michael Middleton and Ron Friend from R&M Scaffolding
Runner-up: Scandia-Hus Manufacturing Ltd
Sponsored by Sussex Enterprise
Care at Home Services (South East) in association with Baldwin Training
Pictured: Gill Edinburgh (Sussex Enterprise) with Deborah McDowell from Care at Home Services
Runner-up: Sussex Health Care in association with Central Sussex College
Sponsored by Sussex Enterprise
Elana Woodham
Pictured: Stephen Gauntlett from SAS with Elana Woodham
Runner-up: Sussex Health Care in association with Central Sussex College
Sponsored by Sussex Advice & Skills
Routeways Collaboration, Hastings and Rother
Pictured: Keith Conniford from SCTP with Barbara Hayes from Routeways
Sponsored by FE Sussex and SCTP
Angela Kirkpatrick
Pictured: Catherine Roberts representing Sussex Learning Network with Angela Kirkpatrick
Runner Up: Georgia Train
Sponsored by Sussex Learning Network
Hannah Vaughan
Pictured: Debbie Shandley and Richard Parker from FE Sussex with Hannah Vaughan)
Runner Up: Alan Latham
Sponsored by FE Sussex
Nicola Friend
Pictured: Keith Conniford from SCTP with Nicola Friend
Runner Up: Zoe Allcott-Wells
Sponsored by SCTP
David McCarthy
Pictured: Stephen Bartle from LSN and David McCarthy
Runner Up: Nigel Colgate
Sponsored by Learning & Skills Network
Warren Banfield
Pictured: Trevor Luker from Edexcel with Warren Banfield and his mother
Runner Up: Alexandra McLoughlin and Kimberley Bailey
Sponsored by Edexcel
Jan Scheltinga Koopman
Pictured: Trevor Luker from Edexcel with Jan Scheltinga Koopman
Runner-up: Sussex Health Care in association with Central Sussex College
Sponsored by Edexcel
Entertainment on the night
Living Statues and the Park College A2 
Drama and Theatre Studies students posed as living statues, with hair and makeup by Lewes 6th Form College 2nd year Hair and beauty students, studying theatrical makeup. They posed for over half an hour on platforms, remaining stock still throughout!
Dance Performance Park College A2
Dance BTEC Performing Arts Award students and AS Dance BTEC Performing Arts Certificate: Acting students performed three beautifully choreographed dance routines
String Quartet
The String Quartet was provided by Music Support Service, West Sussex County Council. All members of the quartet are members of the County Youth Orchestra.
Media Showreel
A showreel of advertisements produced by City College Brighton & Hove Level 1 BTEC First Diploma in Media students was screened during the evening.
To ensure that the night was truly focused on activity currently happening in vocational learning, student involvement on the night was not limited to the above pieces of entertainment. An exhibition was up & running as guests arrived for the night which included a patisserie demonstration by students from City College Brighton & Hove, a theatrical make up demonstrations from Northbrook College students, and hair, make up and manicure by Central Sussex College students. Northbrook College C&G 5610 Furniture Production students also provided a display of beautiful furniture. Fashion mannequins were on display, showing work by Northbrook College’s National Diploma Fashion and Clothing students and Central Sussex students.
Further student involvement on the night came during the dinner service when the Hilton Metropole kindly incorporated hospitality and catering students from City College Brighton & Hove. These students helped served the 3-course dinner which included wine produced by the students of Plumpton College and deserts from patisserie students enrolled at City College Brighton & Hove. Even the flowers on each table and along the bottom of the stage were prepared by floristry students from Plumpton College.
The focus of the night though was the winners coming from across Sussex, each faced with a unique set of challenges. Some of the stories screened on the night were truly inspiring and many commented warmly on how affecting these stories had been.