AWARDS
SPONSORED AND SHORTLISTED BY MOONRISE 24HR RECRUITMENT
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
FINALIST JACQUI HUTCHINSON
( REDCAR & CLEVELAND VOLUNTARY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY)
Coordinator for the Building Our Futures careers education programme for primary schools in Redcar & Cleveland, Jacqui works with teachers, children and businesses to break down stereotypes and build career confidence.
In her role with Building Our Futures, which reaches around 10,000 children, Jacqui goes above and beyond due to her passion and“ can-do” attitude – from tackling the transition to secondary or supporting girls struggling with maths and ensuring parents are included and can access career information for their children.
Jacqui is also skilled at bringing everyone on board, from multinationals to family-run firms, and making children aware of the diversity of opportunity in Teesside – the area she loves.
Winner – Alisdair Beveridge with Jessica Gwaringa, MD of category sponsor Moonrise 24hr Recruitment.
WINNER
ALISDAIR BEVERIDGE
Even as he accepted his Tees Business Award, dedicated philanthropist Alisdair Beveridge was still trying to make a difference.
Alisdair – MD of home improvement service The Build Directory – was voted winner of the Making a Difference category for his unwavering support for many good causes, including the night’ s chosen charity, The Teesside Charity.
And after accepting his Making a Difference award from Jessica Gwaringa, founder and CEO of Moonrise 24hr Recruitment, he was keen to urge other businesses to follow his example and get involved.
He told the 340-strong Hardwick Hall audience:“ My grandpa, when I was a kid, taught me some investment lessons, and it was about the Bank of Human Kindness.
“ And that bank has a different type of currency – it has a much bigger compound interest, and it pays a different type of dividend.
“ It’ s got a few different branches and one of those is The Teesside Charity, but there are many, many more.” Getting involved, argued Alisdair, can prove a gamechanger. He explained:“ One universal tip I’ d like to give everyone is to just get involved. Some accountants in this room might look at what it costs for a patronage to a charity and they’ d be right to say,‘ That’ s coming from our bottom line’.
“ But I would ask you, as business owners, to look at it slightly differently. I’ d like you to look at it not as a cost, but as an investment.
“ And it’ s so easy to do – you don’ t have to go and spend loads of money, just get involved.
“ Procrastination is the assassination of motivation. Don’ t put it off. Get involved in the charity, please. It will supercharge your business, and the best is yet to come.”
Alisdair added:“ I’ m the luckiest man I know and I think if you’ ve been blessed, you should use that blessing.
“ It’ s not about doing it because you want something. If you feel nice, you perform better, it’ s true. And if I see something, if I see a gap, I do it – it’ s become a bit of a drug.
“ It’ s like finding gold. As soppy as it sounds, the charity stuff has given me a real opportunity to really make a bit of a difference.”
FINALIST
PAULA MADDISON GREEN
Paula owns and manages the North-East Women and Men Against Domestic Violence Facebook page.
From that, Trauma Stop UK was set up as a CIC that offers refuge services for male victims of domestic abuse, trauma, anxiety and PTSD or symptoms – men can self-refer to Trauma Stop’ s refuge or be referred by statutory services.
An accredited trainer in mental health awareness, Paula is also admin to a peer support group for male victims, which she historically supported.
And as testament to the work she does, the person who nominated her for the Making A Difference Award, when asked about the impact she has on others, wrote simply:“ Saved many lives – including my own,” as well as praising her“ compassion and empathy”.
SPONSOR’ S REFLECTIONS:
Jessica Gwaringa, MD Moonrise 24hr Recruitment:“ At Moonrise, our mission is to provide care, support and opportunities that genuinely improve people’ s lives.
“ Sponsoring the Making a Difference Award allows us to celebrate those who embody this same commitment – those individuals and organisations who go above and beyond to have a positive impact in their communities.
“ The award reflects our core values of compassion, integrity and dedication, recognising the difference that thoughtful, committed action can make.
“ By supporting this category, we hope to shine a light on those who inspire change, embodying the values that drive everything we do at Moonrise.”
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