-Young Achiever Award Winners Announced

Over 220 people from across Swansea Bay gathered at Margam Orangery to celebrate the achievements of young people and recognise the contribution they make to their communities through business, training, education and voluntary work.  The evening also included live music and links to Jonny B’s evening show at 96.4FM The Wave.

The winners were:

• Business Achiever Award: Helen Gill, Helen Rhiannon.

• Community Volunteer Award: Daniel Pink

• Tourism Achiever Award: Claire Cole, The Marriott Swansea

• World of Work Award: Andrew Kent

• Young Enterprise Award:
Programme Level 1, ‘Pots of Love’, Ysgol Gyfn Emlyn
Programme Level 2, ‘Allsorts’, Cefn Saeson Comprehensive.

A judging panel had the difficult task of narrowing over 80 nominees, down to the final 14 shortlisted finalists.

Winners Profiles

• Business Achiever Award sponsored by The Business Centre, Swansea: awarded to a young business person who has demonstrated creativity and vision in setting up and running a business.
Winner: Helen Gill, Helen Rhiannon.  Helen is a fashion designer who in 2005 launched her own designs under the ‘Helen Rhiannon’ label.  Helen designs, manufacturers, markets and manages her own business and has recently launched her own website.  Her designs have been featured extensively in the local press and received television coverage as part of the ‘Cool Cymru’ project to raise money for the Children’s Hospital for Wales which saw Opera star Katherine Jenkins wearing an exclusively designed ‘Helen Rhiannon’ dress.

Runners up in this category were Donna Carless of Dynamic Rock and Emily Jones of Pemberton’s Victorian Chocolates.

• Community Volunteer Award sponsored by Carmarthenshire County Council: recognised individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the community in which they live or work.
Winner: Daniel Pink.  Daniel moved from the South of England to Seven Sisters finding himself in the position where he had to make new friends and find employment in the area.  He took the opportunity and volunteered at the Dulais Valley Gardening Service.  The service enables independent living and better health & well being, for those who have been isolated or living alone.  This voluntary work has allowed Daniel to regain his confidence and make new friends.  He is now looking to Neath Port Talbot Council’s Workways to secure long term employment.

Runners up in this category were Ian Rees and Katie Louise Davies.

• Tourism Achiever Award sponsored by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council: this award was aimed at those employed within the tourism, leisure or hospitality sectors that have made an outstanding contribution to the tourism industry.
Winner: Claire Cole, The Marriott, Swansea.  Claire started in the hospitality industry in 1993 as a silver service waitress and through dedication and hard work has secured her current position as Wedding Coordinator for the Marriot Hotel, Swansea.  Claire has gained accreditation as a Joy Wedding Planner and has also introduced a number of new initiatives including the Marriott “Win a Dream Wedding” Competition which as been nominated for a national award.

Runners up in this category were James Martin from Call of the Wild and Natalie Davies from Clyne Farm.

• World of Work Award sponsored by Careers Wales West: this award looked to recognise the achievements of those who have successfully overcome barriers and gained full time employment.
Winner: Andrew Kent.  Andrew is working as a Peer Mentor with the Swansea Young Offending Team at Gorseinon College.  He mentors young people aged 8 to 16 years of age to help them overcome problems at school, home or in the community.  Andrew has an understanding of the problems young people face as he has had to overcome a number of problems himself to get where he is today.  The qualifications he has recently gained will enable him to progress in his work with the Youth Offending Team and qualify him to apply for a Project Worker Post.

Runners up in this category were Peter Jones and Robert Howells.

• Young Enterprise Award sponsored by Western Power: this award celebrates the Regional Winners from this year’s Young Enterprise Awards (Programme Levels 1 & 2).

Winner of Programme Level 1: ‘Pots of Love’, Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn.  Pots of Love are a group of 8 pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn from Newcastle Emlyn in Carmarthenshire.

Their company sells hand wrapped pots filled with chocolate hearts, cuddly teddies, Easter chicks, a variety of seasonal products as well as unusual gifts for that special person.

Products have been sold at school parents’ evenings, local Craft Fairs and the Haverfordwest Farmers Market.  Also local business, Phillip Ling Estate Agents, agreed to sell the company’s products from their office and this has made a great contribution to the overall profit of the company.

The founders of Pots of Love have 3 specific aims: to learn how business works; to make money from the business; and to have lots of fun along the way.

Winners of Programme Level 2: ‘Allsorts’, Cefn Saeson Comprehensive.  18 months ago a team of forward thinking Year 10 design technology students formed a Young Enterprise company called Desktop. 

The name of the company reflected the products they produced such as mouse mats, coasters and clocks. As spring approached they decided to diversify and market research suggested garden products as the way forward.  They adopted an environmentally friendly approach and decided to use re-cycled wooden pallets to produce planters, nest boxes, bird feeders and general garden furniture.  To reflect their wide portfolio of products the company name was then changed to Allsorts.

Jackie Roe, Corporate Affairs Manager for the Awards sponsors Wales & West Utilities, said “We were thrilled to support these very special awards.  I found it so rewarding to meet the finalists and winners – young people who are making a difference to the community here in Swansea Bay.  Every one of the entrants deserve recognition for their efforts.  They were all winners really – great ambassadors for Swansea Bay”.

For further information on the Swansea Bay Young Achiever Awards contact Sarah Toomey, Bay in Business Event Coordinator on 01792 545066.