People Matter Awards 2012

Five Lamps is proud of the achievements our customers, volunteers and staff have made.

Every year we give awards to our customers, volunteers and staff. The People Matter Awards are about celebrating the achievements of individuals, some who have had to overcome barriers and deal with issues that have changed their lives.

People Matter Awards 2012

This year 9 people were awarded a People Matter Award at our Celebration Event in May 2012.

Young Learner of the Year - Chloe Riordan

Chloe was nominated by Ann Rookes, Five Lamps' GOIL/Foundation Learning Advisor. Chloe has been attending Five Lamps' Youth Services for 6 months and other learners look at Chloe as a brilliant role model. Chloe lights up the room when she comes in and all staff are impressed with the change in her behaviour; she has changed from someone who would used to say "I wouldn't dare" to a perfect young lady. She is very motivated and wants to achieve.

Chloe said “I left school last September and I was just bumming around the streets. Someone told me about Five Lamps so I thought I would give it a try. I got a placement at a beauty salon to do an NVQ Level 2”

Click here to watch Chloe's film

Photograph shows (left to right): Chloe Riordan and Pat Chambers, Five Lamps Board of Directors

Youth Award - Luke Dixon

Tracy Wilson, Five Lamps’ Youth Participation Manger nominated Luke for an award because he is involved in everything that goes on in The Youthy. He’s always willing to take up a challenge and has been involved in fundraising events to raise money for a residential and is always teaching other people to play pool. He is a really determined young man.

Luke said “I started on the Duke of Edinburgh Award and started volunteering at The Youthy by helping out on the VIBE nights. I do cooking, play pool with the younger kids, table tennis and I help out with the DJ… bit of everything really”

Click here to watch Luke’ film

Photograph shows (left to right): Luke Dixon and Trevor Watson, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Learner of the Year - Mark Retchless

Mark was nominated by Frank Dixon, Five Lamps’ IV Verifier/ Assessor. Mark works at Fairbridge in Stockton with groups of young people that are not in mainstream education. Mark has low self-confidence but Frank worked with him to build his confidence, so much so that in December 2011, 2 weeks before his deadline he completed his NVQ in Youth Work.

Mark said “Over the last couple of years I decided to get into youth work. I wanted to help young people who are worse off than me. I try and motivate and communicate with all the young people. You don’t realise until the young people come back to me say “thanks for that. I didn’t mean to swear at you the other day” what a good feeling that is.

Click here to watch Mark’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Mark Retchless and Pat Chambers, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Group Award - Urban Blitz

Urban Blitz were nominated by Len Junier, Five Lamps’ Divisional Manager Employability. Len initially had some concerns around If the guys would complete the progamme and also about the kind of work that we wanted them to do in the community. The award is based around the cumulative effect this group of young people have had, the local community would say how wonderful the guys have been and how much difference they have made in the community that they themselves live in. A number of them now have jobs elsewhere, some of them want to go onto further training and a couple are going to stay with us.

One of Urban Blitz said “I heard about Urban Blitz through a leaflet through my door and from my friends. It is a good project for youths now a days because there is not a lot of employability out there. It’s an opportunity for me to have something on my CV. It gets me out there, it gets me motivated and it’s a stepping stone for me”

Another said “Some people stop you on the street and say that you are doing a good job. It gives you a buzz that you are helping people”

Click here to watch Urban Blitz’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Urban Blitz and Trevor Watson, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Group Award - Five Lamps Recovery Group

Five Lamps’ Recovery Group were nominated by Mark Thompson Five Lamps’ Service Manager Employability. The Recovery Group is a happy band of souls considering what they have to deal with on a daily basis. Every member has lost family members and close friends to drug and alcohol abuse. For some of the group this award will be the first thing that they have ever achieved and it may be the first time anyone has said to them that they are great.

Jodie Hind said “It’s really important to do it as a group because the problems that we face within recovery are quite vast. It’s members of the group that are going through that and they have usually had similar problems”

A member of the group said “I ended up going to one of the groups. For 16 years nothing had worked but I felt I could relate to these people. I always used to think “why is this happening to me” and it wasn’t until I came to the group and they said to me “have you ever thought that it might be you” and I realised it was me that had caused all the trouble”

Another member said “we go for walks, been away for weekends, been go karting. It’s not about that, it’s about being honest with each other and knowing what each other has been through”

Click here to watch Five Lamps’ Recovery Group’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Five Lamps’ Recovery Group and Pat Chambers, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Enteprise Award - Lisa Smith

Lisa was nominated by Deborah Shanley, Five Lamps’ Business Development Coach. Lisa was made redundant in March 2010 and this made her think about her dream of opening a nursery/ day care centre in Billingham. Five Lamps supported Lisa to start her own business ‘Tummy Ticklers’ and now cares for 25 full time children. Lisa was very tenacious and although she went through a lot of problems, she used these as a positive and really took the time to concentrate on her business.

Lisa said “I got introduced to Deborah Shanley and she taught me how to put a business plan together and helped me access a £1,000 grant from Stockton Council. It’s nice to be able to work for myself and provide care for my own children”

Click here to watch Lisa’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Lisa Smith and Pat Chambers, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Employability Award - Wayne Middleton

Wayne was nominated by Jane Simpson, Five Lamps’ Intensive Support Worker. Wayne is driven and is passionate and wants to change his life. His ethos is if a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well.

Wayne said “Jane has helped me do job searches and has help me get documents like my birth certificate to get on an agency’s books”

Click here to watch Wayne’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Wayne Middleton and Pat Chambers, Five Lamps’ Board of Directors

Financial Inclusion Award - Graeme Duffy

Graeme was nominated by John Hird, Five Lamps’ Senior Loans Officer. Graeme is really passionate about what he wants to do in the future and how he wants to turn his life around and start his own business.

Graeme said “I was serving a 6 month prison sentence in HMP Kirklevington and that is where I came in contact with Five Lamps. John gave me ideas on how I can branch out and get funding through an enterprise loan to start my own business. He gave me a lot of financial support. I love gardening and did my Level 1 Diploma in Horticulture. In an ideal world I would love to have my own business and be there for my kids. I just want to work”

Click here to watch Graeme's film

Photograph shows (left to right): Graeme Duffy and Trevor Watson, Five Lamps' Board of Directors

Derrick Brown Award - Amy Baker

Nichola Storr, Five Lamps’ Quality Manager nominated Amy for the Derrick Brown Award; an award for outstanding achievement. Amy has made an outstanding contribution since she came to the organisation. She tried to get a job as an apprentice for a year and couldn’t get any interviews because a lot of companies wanted somebody with experience. Fortunately we interviewed her and she was successful in gaining an apprenticeship with us. Since she started with us she has worked on our receptions and has helped on 2 projects. We have excellent feedback from customers. Amy has a fantastic work ethic.

Amy said “I’m doing my apprenticeship in Business Administration at Five Lamps. Every day I am learning something new, the variety is really good”

Click here to watch Amy’s film

Photograph shows (left to right): Derrick Brown, Ex-Five Lamps’ Board of Director and Amy Baker