"The 1839 Awards are a longstanding highlight...

...of the University and Students’ Union calendar. They provide a valuable opportunity for us to celebrate the hard work of staff and student leaders across the University, with award winners nominated by our student body. I’m delighted that the Students’ Union has developed this guide to highlight the achievements of all nominees and to share good practice that can be adopted more widely across the University."

- Dr Helen Galbraith, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Student Experience, University of Chester 

"As Academic Support staff...

...we help students day in day out and unlike lecturers who get to see a student throughout the whole year, we often don’t see our help in action. So being nominated for an award is so important for Support Staff to know they are doing well and are valued by students. As someone who was shortlisted, it truly was a huge honour and very humbling that something I did, a student took the time out of their busy lives to nominate me for the award. It gives me confidence that my approach with student works and that we are valued and really gives you a lovely boost knowing you’ve had a real positive impact on a student’s time at the University."

- Anthony Cliffe, Most Helpful Feedback Shortlist

"I was really proud...

...to win an 1839 Award and I am very grateful to those who nominated me.  My main focus is to help to improve our students experience through the various projects that I am involved in. It is amazing to see that what we are doing is appreciated and is having a positive impact across the University.

This year I have been busy setting up a Social Capital project, working with the Police and Crime Commissioner to address sexual violence against women and girls having been awarded £550,000 to as part of the ‘Safer Streets’ bid, and progressing the work of our Unacceptable Behaviours Taskforce. I could not have done any of this without the support, work and commitment of some wonderful colleagues and students.

- Kara Joynson, Outstanding Achievement Award Winner

"I am the proud recipient...

...of the Build Back Better award for 2021/2022. Winning this award means a great deal to me and I'm truly grateful to those who took the time to nominate me. I have always been passionate about the student experience; students spend such a lot of money on fees that I feel it is my duty to give them the best I have. The last few years of living through the pandemic have been the most challenging for students (and staff). But I can truly look back on this time and recognise the wonderful advancements we made in all sorts of areas (I had barely heard of Teams pre-2020!). I felt the connections made with students during this time were far better than I could have ever hoped, from online lab classes where we laughed until we couldn't breathe to our online quizzes and murder mystery events. Yes, I have no shame - I will dress up and do anything to make students enjoy an event. And why? Because your learning and development experience at Chester means everything to me. If I can connect with students then I can support and encourage them to push themselves to be the best they can be, and to take full advantage of experiences which come their way. I am privileged to work with students and receiving this award confirms that I have made a difference - what can be more important? Thank you."

- Mandy Urquhart, Build Back Better Award Winner

"Being nominated and shortlisted...

...for the 1839 Awards is an extremely humbling experience. The long hours and dedication put into my role as a lecturer can be tiring but being nominated and shortlisted for an 1839 award really makes the job even more worth it. The appreciation shown by my students in taking the time to nominate me, really demonstrates a sense of appreciation and support of the job I do. Thank you!"

- Seona Dunne, Outstanding Postgraduate Supervisor Shortlist

"I am absolutely thrilled...

...to have received the CSU Choice award, particularly as it was the staff of the Students’ Union who nominated me. Although one never goes out to try to win awards, it is always humbling to know that your hard work is recognised by others, and I would like to thank the staff and sabbaticals of Chester Students’ Union for their support and encouragement throughout this year. Working in partnership with them is an honour, and to help deliver opportunities for students with them is a pleasure. I dedicate this award to my team in Sport and Active Lifestyle and Athletics’ Union, they are the real winners of this award."

- Gordon Reay, CSU Choice Award Winner

"I work in Disability & Inclusion...

...with students who suspect they may have a neurodiverse profile or have recently been diagnosed with one. I hear their stories of past education experiences which quite often have created poor self-esteem, low self-worth and a flawed learner identity instilled by the people around them. To work with students in developing strategies to manage not only their learning but significantly their confidence, skills and abilities and to see them blossom as a learner gives me great pleasure and self-satisfaction both on a personal and professional level.

I have been nominated and short-listed for the past two years and I feel honoured, privileged, and appreciate the fact that students have took the time out to nominate me when quite often they are balancing their study with other commitments. Being recognised, as making a difference in a student’s HE journey, continues to inspire me to continue in my role and it gives me great joy when those students I work with succeed and graduate."

- Pamela Moss, Mental Health Champion Shortlist

"I was delighted to be nominated...

...honoured to be shortlisted and absolutely shocked to actually win the award for ‘Most helpful feedback’ after still being in my first year of lecturing at the University of Chester! Moving into lecturing from clinical practice this academic year has been a very steep learning curve for me and has been an enormous amount of work (much more than the hours you’re paid for as a lecturer). However, to have your hard work and effort recognised and appreciated by your students really does make it all worth it! I can’t thank my students enough for nominating me, I really do appreciate it. I still can’t quite believe I won an 1839 Award!"

- Calvi Thompson, Most Helpful Feedback Award Winner

"Being a new member of staff...

...I was delighted when, only a few weeks after starting at Chester, I was informed that I had been nominated for the 1839 "Building Back Better" award. I was really touched that one or more students had nominated me for this award. I was even more chuffed soon after to find I had been shortlisted for the award. I did not win the category, but this did not concern me - the greatest accolade was that students had taken the effort to recognise my work in the classroom.

It so important for student to nominate their lecturers if they experience good teaching and support in the classroom (face-to-face or virtual). It sends the most direct feedback to lecturers that they are achieving a high standard in their work and intrinsically rewards us in the best possible way, confirming we are on the right lines with our teaching. Moreover, and most importantly, it enables the development of better-quality learning and teaching for you as students at the University of Chester. So, if it is clear that one of your lecturers, or a member of professional staff or support services for that matter, has gone over and above what is expected, please nominate them in the 1839 Awards. Just a nomination means so much to us as members of staff at The University."

- Paul Forrester, Build Back Better Award Shortlist

"I was absolutely delighted...

...to be nominated by our students this year. It means so much to me for a couple of reasons - I know the students are really busy and so massively appreciate them taking the time to fill in the paperwork. Secondly, most often in life, you only get feedback when you could have done something better, so for people to take the time to say that they felt I did something well is really validating and reassuring. Especially with remote working, you keep doing your best and hoping you are meeting students' needs, so to hear that they think that you are doing ok is a really fantastic feeling."

- Fran Clipperton, Outstanding PAT/Professional Mentor Shortlist

"I was extremely privileged..."

...to receive the award for Outstanding Academic Support Staff at the recent 1839 Awards. It was the first year that I had been nominated, let alone win the award and it was truly an honour and total surprise to receive it. Having only worked with the department of Computer Science for 18 months, the fact that the nominations came from the students themselves, was even more of an honour. It was so nice to know that all the hard work I had put in since I started, had truly made a difference. Support staff can sometimes get overlooked when it comes to acknowledgements, so I would encourage all students to make sure they nominate their amazing support staff in the University for these awards!"

- Lily Deves, Outstanding Academic Support Staff Winner