2nd February 2023
Sanctuary
Sanctuary apprentices excelled at an awards ceremony celebrating some of the finest future workplace talent.
Emily Tidmarsh and James Webster won their categories at the annual Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training Association (HWGTA) Apprenticeship Awards, where another five of our staff were also finalists.
The awards are a celebration of all their hard work, achievement and knowledge and were staged at Sixways stadium in Worcester.
Emily was named Level 2 Commerce Apprentice of the Year, while James took the Commerce Excellence in Accountancy Award.
"My apprenticeship has been so valuable, involving six-monthly rotations within our finance teams, giving me insight into how the different areas work."
“I’m looking forward to gaining more experience and hopefully going on to secure a permanent role. I was thankful to be nominated and it was a very proud moment when I won.
“It showed my efforts over the past three and a half years have been valuable to Sanctuary and that I’ve made a positive impact.”
Emily, also 22, began her apprenticeship in August 2021 after two years working at our Juniper House Residential Care Home in Worcester
Her award completes a hat-trick of successes, having previously been named Intermediate Apprentice of the Year at the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards and West Midlands Intermediate Apprentice of the Year in the National Apprenticeship Awards.
“I’m overjoyed and had no idea my apprenticeship with Sanctuary would set me up for my future in the way it has.“Everyone has supported me along the way and I’m really grateful to them. I can't wait to see what I can achieve next.”
The HWGTA double triumph was witnessed by Andrew Manning-Cox, our Group Chairman, attending in his capacity as High Sheriff of Worcestershire.
Michelle Wood, our Group Head of Learning and Development, is also an HWGTA Board Director and hosted Worcester Mayor Adrian Gregson at the ceremony.
She said: “It was an absolute pleasure to celebrate such wonderful achievements by so many apprentices, and it was another amazing evening for Sanctuary.
“We’re immensely proud of Emily winning her third award and the recognition it has brought her, while James winning Commerce Excellency in Accountancy was a very well-deserved success.”
Our five other finalists were accountancy apprentice Matthew Wright and former apprentices Amina Begum, Jana Gormley, Josh Reah and Georgie Common, who are all now working in permanent roles at Sanctuary. Another former Sanctuary apprentice, Jordan Leaman, received the Commerce Endeavour Award.
Sanctuary’s award-winning apprenticeship programme began in 2008, supporting over 2,000 people into work across our business areas.
