2025 Congress Award winners
Sofia Anysiadou and Lisa Simpson - UNISON
Learning Rep Award
Sofia and Lisa used a nationally recognised campaign to help make learning more relatable and encourage people to set aside time for upskilling and development. During Learning at Work Week 2024, they organised a diverse programme of talks and tailored workshops on a range of engaging topics, using the community of talent within the University of Central Lancashire, who shared their expertise.
Sessions included workshops on Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) techniques, the journey of tea from East to West while tasting a selection of teas, holiday Italian, first aid, and British Sign Language (BSL). Staff also enjoyed a relaxing campus walk exploring how the gardens are designed to support local wildlife. They also got an opportunity to learn more about the university's development portal and the broader learning resources available.
They had nearly 70 attendees taking part in the events. Participants praised the wide range of sessions and emphasised the positive impact on wellbeing and overall morale. One learner said, "It was a great opportunity to learn and take a break at the same time, which is good for mental health and, as a result, boosts morale and productivity. Learning more about the University also helped me feel part of the bigger picture." Another learner shared, "the First Aid session was so informative and I learnt so much. Loved the campus walk session; really interesting to hear about all the planning and developments on campus." - these were learners who had worked at the university for many years and who had now been able to access the site beyond their workplace and engage with the university as an education institution that included them.
The week also served as a successful recruitment opportunity, with several staff choosing to join the union after taking part in the learning events.
The impact and insights from the LAWW were featured in an article in the 2025 ULearn magazine (pages 18-19), further highlighting the value of the initiative and its positive outcomes to the wider union.
Adam Birks - Usdaw
Youth Award
So many opportunities have come Adam's way in the past few years since he became a rep. One of the proudest moments for Adam was at Usdaw's Annual Delegate Meeting in 2024, where he gained the attention of nearly 1000 delegates and visitors when he spoke passionately on behalf of his branch about the subscription increase on the podium. Adam's gentle but persuasive persona had the attention of everybody present. He gave reasons for voting in favour of the subscription increase in a very mature and passionate way. Adam is a public speaker, he just knows how and when to use this gifted talent. He approached the podium with great confidence and asked the conference 'Are you a proud member of Usdaw?'. By gaining their attention from that first question, he went on to describe why it's important that Usdaw's finances are top priority in ensuring the membership get what it deserves. His speech educated not just the young delegates but the whole of conference.
Being selected for Academy1 in 2024 was another proud moment for Adam. This gave him a greater opportunity to talk to a wider audience of young workers who didn't know the benefits, so he gave them a wider understanding of being part of a trade union. Adam has also participated in Stand Down where again he could educate young workers and encourage them to join Usdaw's Young Workers' Committees and become a rep. Adam is a member of his Regional Young Workers' Committee and recruited new members off the back of a campaign in Norwich during Young Workers' Week. He is incredibly engaged and passionate about the movement and young workers' rights. He also attended the National Young Workers' Weekend in November 2023, and in January 2025 Adam received Usdaw's Most Promising New Activist award for his region. Adam has also been a member of the Regional Political Committee since October 2024 and has done some amazing work. He is a true trade unionist and a bright star.
Sonya Pickford - UNISON
Women's Gold Badge
Sonya is a constant beacon for Derbyshire County UNISON, she is always there for members be it in person, online or on the phone.
Sonya always goes the extra mile for her members, Sonia recently highlighted a serious breach of Fire Regulations resulting in the alarm not being activated when a fire was actually happening. This resulted in one person being taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation. A case has now been opened with HSE.
Sonya also represented staff who worked in a school kitchen who were overcome by carbon monoxide all three staff were hospitalised and this is now a case with Thompsons Solicitors.
These are just two examples of the outstanding work that Sonya does for members, there are many more cases where she has overturned dismissal cases and squashed il health cases.
Sonya is an active member of the branch and takes part in all events, demonstrations, campaigns and contributes to the meetings held with management where she highlighted areas of concern for women such as sexual harassment and the menopause and she is chair of the Branch Health and Safety committee.
Sonya has represented members in the private sector in relation to getting the correct pay for bank holiday working, these workers had previously been let down by their union and Sonya managed to get a full agreement with their employer and they now receive the correct pay.
Abigail Young - GMB
Health and Safety Rep Award
Since stepping into the role in the summer of 2024, Abigail has demonstrated remarkable leadership, dedication, and a true passion for improving conditions for her colleagues. In a short period, she has more than doubled union membership in her workplace an achievement that speaks volumes about her visibility, approachability, and ability to engage and inspire workers. Abigail has worked tirelessly to ensure that every worker knows their rights and understands the power of collective action. Her ability to build solidarity has strengthened the unions presence and influence in the workplace. Beyond recruitment, Abigail has led a campaign to secure significant improvements in health and safety. She has not only identified critical issues but has also taken action organising workers, challenging management, and ensuring that tangible changes were implemented. Thanks to her efforts, working conditions have improved, and her colleagues now have a safer, more secure environment.
A great example of her proactive approach was her recent campaign to improve crew room facilities. Abigail organised and ran a petition, gathering widespread support from workers. She collected photos to highlight the poor conditions and communicated the results clearly and effectively to both management and members. Her efforts led directly to significant improvements in the facilities, showing real results driven by worker-led action.
Abigail has provided cleaning materials from her own money which embarrassed management into providing and also regularly provides snacks for workers to boost morale.
Abigail doesn’t wait for scheduled Union meetings to raise health and safety concerns. She has successfully negotiated five hours of paid release each week, during which she walks the workplace at Birmingham Airport. During these walkarounds, she engages with workers, documents health and safety issues by taking photographs, and raises concerns directly with management. She ensures issues are not just logged but are visibly acted on, and she keeps members informed with regular updates.
Her hard work has been recognised by the workforce — members consistently give positive feedback, union membership is growing, and GMB now has a strong and visible presence across the workplace thanks to her efforts. Abigail's commitment, visibility, and effectiveness have made a tangible difference, creating a safer and more organised workplace for everyone.
Abigail shows that having drive, determination, and the confidence to speak up to management is just as important as knowing the technical elements when it comes to being a great safety rep. She’s made a real impact in a short time as an activist and would be a well-deserved winner of this award.
Robert Smalley - Unite the Union
Organising Award
The Lincoln Bogie Service Centre (BSC) was formerly a non-unionised branch of Siemens Mobility, with management giving a straight "no" to any suggestion of entering a trade union agreement. Through Robert’s efforts, with some support from others, the workforce went from zero union members to over half of the full-time staff joining within weeks, leading to an agreement being signed within months.
This was achieved through Robert’s petitions and countless talks with colleagues, explaining the benefits of joining a union and distributing informative flyers to non-members. He kept up a constant effort to promote the benefits of entering an agreement with Unite, organised the nomination process, and ensured coverage across the bargaining group by securing signatures and forms from nominees. Without his input, progress would have been far slower and an agreement might not exist today.
Members now have a greater sense of security following meetings with union reps and the regional officer. The site is scheduled to close and move to Goole by May 2027, a major inconvenience for nearly all employees, who face over an hour’s commute each way. Thanks to BSC’s voluntary agreement with Unite, a consultation was launched around four options presented to staff:
- Redeployment to other companies with possible paid training for new skills.
- Relocation to Goole with financial support, including stamp duty and housing assistance.
- Temporary assistance with Goole’s launch (6 or 12 months) with a small wage increase.
- Redundancy if no other option is viable.
Unite is now negotiating these options to secure better outcomes for all employees, not just union members, positively impacting over 200 people. Reps have also pushed for additional options to cover gaps not yet addressed.
Union membership has continued to rise, particularly in response to negative company decisions such as laying off 40 contractors and removing an additional break. Robert’s efforts brought so much interest in representative roles that elections were held, resulting in five positions being filled—three workplace reps and two health and safety reps, covering both shifts. A recognition agreement was signed within months, and negotiations have already begun on the consultation, as well as pay discussions for the following year.
Even while on annual leave, Robert remained active in the 45-day consultation period, regularly speaking with members to reassure them and provide guidance, ensuring no time was lost in securing the best possible outcomes for colleagues.