Tom Harrison
Tom Harrison has worked for the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey and at Crewe Hall, Goldstone Hall, Aston Marina and Alton Towers but now he spends his time upskilling Staffordshire’s future chefs.
A former chef himself, he is now Curriculum Leader for Hospitality and Catering at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group where his work includes the award-winning Riverbank Restaurant.
He designs the curriculum and works on enrichment activities for students such as organising guest speakers, masterclasses, work and industry placements and training students to enter competitions.
Tom, who joined Stafford College as a lecturer a decade ago and has been Curriculum Leader for five years, has been nominated in the Inspiration in Education category of the Your Heroes Awards.
Mark Kent, Director of Professional Studies at NSCG, said: “Tom does not just do the job he is at the forefront of every possible opportunity to give the students the absolute best experience that we can facilitate. He is always looking for an opportunity to enrich the lives of his learners or looking at ways that he can make life just that little bit easier for them. Tom is not only passionate about his students but also ambitious for them and their careers.
“Typically, a significant proportion of learners in the catering department start their programme needing a lot of support for confidence and self-esteem. However Tom instils a core belief in his students and staff that they are more than capable and they can and should reach for their dreams. Tom along with the team he leads achieve this upturn in student self-esteem and confidence through a range of extra activities that he weaves into the curriculum irrespective of being a necessity to the qualification or not.
“For instance, Tom invests a vast amount of hours to upskill students to be ready for a very busy commercial restaurant.”
Restaurants including The Tawny, Little Seeds and Aston Marina have worked with students to devise menus and supported them in preparing fine dining dishes.
Mark said: “Tom is an expert in ascertaining when students are and equally are not quite ready for the challenge that this environment poses. Given Tom is an outstanding FE Lecturer, Tom swiftly identifies and supports any gaps on knowledge or skills so that students can make accelerated progress. Students gain the feedback and insight so they can focus on concentrated areas to develop in a nurturing fashion.”
NSCG students were named as the best kitchen team in the British Culinary Federation Student Cook and Serve competition.
Level 3 Professional Cookery student, Viacheslav Marynychenko took second place at the prestigious CombiGuru Challenge, a national culinary competition for UK colleges held in Italy.
Tom has encouraged initiatives such as cardiac screening fundraising for the CRY charity, the big FE Lunch aimed at care providers having a free afternoon tea in the restaurant and ESOL students working with catering learners to facilitate a World Food Awareness Event. He has been appointed as a teaching and learning coach within NSCG.
Mark added: “Tom is a lecturer who does not settle and wants to lead by example. To inspire his students to have a desire to grow and risk constructive feedback, Tom constantly wishes to challenge himself, his team and the college’s Riverbank Restaurant. Tom supports three public lunch services and one evening opening to the public that Tom with his team and students manage wonderfully.
“I sincerely hope Tom is recognised by the Your Heroes Award as an Inspiration in Education.”
Tom said he was shocked but grateful to have been nominated for a Your Heroes Award.
He said: “I’m part of a team that works really well together. Without them I wouldn’t have been recognised. We’re always looking at doing the best we can for learners.
“Being a chef has been in my blood since I was 13 or 14 and my aim has always been to improve opportunities within the industry.”
Mandy Tucker
Mandy Tucker has been championing deaf and vision-impaired people across Staffordshire for more than 30 years.
She is the manager of ASSIST, part of Staffordshire County Council’s Specialist Support and Teaching Service, which provides the likes of BSL interpreters, specialist notetakers and sighted guides.
The service also includes Braille and audio transcription, Easy Read translation, readers and library support, Deafblind Communicator Guides, communication support workers, specialist study skills tutors and vision awareness training.
Mandy and her team work with over-16s in colleges and universities as well as in settings such as courtrooms.
She has been nominated in the Inspiration in Education category of the Your Heroes Awards with her nominator, Mike Tyler, calling her a hero and a constant inspiration to those who are fortunate enough to know her.
He said: “Without Mandy’s leadership over the last three decades ASSIST would likely have been subsumed by large generic support providers or disappeared due to the economic pressures and cost-cutting policies which so often disproportionately impact the very students ASSIST supports.
“Mandy’s dedication and her inability to take no for an answer, combined with her winning sense of humour has meant that ASSIST has continued to grow, adapt and thrive.
“Mandy has pioneered and championed the cause of deaf and vision-impaired students in further and higher education in Staffordshire for over 30 years. She continues to inspire new generations of staff and facilitate the educational achievements of these students.”
ASSIST is a small cost recovery service which was set up in 1988 to support a handful of deaf school leavers to progress to further and higher education.
When Mandy took the helm a few years later ASSIST grew and developed under her guidance to reflect the growing demand for local, high-quality, bespoke, specialist support required by deaf and vision-impaired students as they continued with their learning journeys into further and higher education.
ASSIST has expanded over the years to support deaf and vision-impaired people in the community but has never departed from its commitment to a focus on the educational opportunities of students in Staffordshire.
Mike added: “Mandy’s passion for the people she supports, her vision, her relentless enthusiasm and absolute determination to level up the educational opportunities for deaf and vision-impaired students in Staffordshire is truly inspirational.”
Mandy has been working at ASSIST for 32 years and even moved from Birmingham to Staffordshire to be closer to the job.
She said: “I’m an interpreter myself and came in to do that job, eventually becoming the manager, so I know all the roles and we all do a bit of everything.
“We’ve seen a lot of organisations come and go over the years. I’ve always said that even though funding has been difficult at times, we have to keep the quality of what we do.
“I’ve always tried to put myself in the shoes of the people I’m supporting and ask the staff to do the same. I’m not deaf or blind but I try to have that understanding of their life.
“I arrived thinking I’d stay as long as the job interests me and it’s never failed to interest me. There’s always something new every day.”
She added: “I’ve got a marvellous team. They’re wonderful. Everybody works in this team as if it was their life and their business. They do it because they care.”
Stage Productions
For nearly two decades Stage Productions has been creating professional-quality theatre shows and offering life-changing performance opportunities for more than 4,000 people of all ages.
The Stoke-on-Trent based community interest company has been nominated in the Inspiration in Education category of the Your Heroes Awards by the parent of a Stage Productions performer, who says it has been transformative for her child.
She said: “Stage Productions has become one of our local community’s most powerful educational forces, investing £2.2 million into local arts and creating life‑changing opportunities for more than 4,000 performers.
“Their belief is that every young person deserves the chance to shine. From first steps in their Stage School to standing ovations in full-scale productions like the recent Charlie and the Chocolate Factory production at the Regent Theatre, they nurture talent with patience, expertise and genuine care.
“Their work blends the enthusiasm of amateur performers with the skill of professional creatives, resulting in musical theatre of exceptional, West End‑level quality right here in Stoke-on-Trent. But their greatest impact reaches far beyond the stage.
“Stage Productions helps young people like my daughter and friend’s son who has autism grow in confidence, develop communication skills, build resilience and discover a sense of belonging.
“They create an environment where every child feels seen, supported and capable of achieving more than they ever imagined.
“This story is echoed by countless families who have watched their children thrive under Stage Productions’ mentorship. More than a theatre company, Stage Productions is an educational powerhouse inspiring creativity, strengthening wellbeing and shaping futures. Their commitment to opportunity, inclusion and excellence makes them an outstanding candidate for a Your Heroes Award.”
Stage Productions put on its first show in 2008 and now stages six to eight annually, including at The Regent Theatre in Hanley. It has also recently staged shows in a big top at Trentham Gardens.
The CIC is run by co-founder and producer Jonathan Cliffe, co-founder Chris Regnauld and co-producer and choreographer Grace Forrester.
Jonathan, who has a corporate background in marketing, said: “We grew up being part of youth theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme. When that closed we founded Stage Productions. We work with an awful lot of young people but also work with adults as well.
“There are challenges in Stoke-on-Trent. Building confidence is a big part of what we do whether that’s with young people or adults.”
He added: “It feels amazing for Stage Productions to have been nominated for a Your Heroes Award and to think that what we’ve been doing over the years has been recognised in that way. It’s lovely to hear.
“Ultimately we do it because we love it and it’s wonderful to hear that other people feel that way too. It shows it must be working.”
Selina Rudzik
Selina Rudzik, Director of Recruitment Robin, has transformed her Staffordshire-based recruitment business into a bridge between education and employment, inspiring young people to achieve their full potential while helping employers invest in the workforce of the future.
Recognising the gap between education and industry, Selina has developed Recruitment Robin into more than a recruitment agency. Through strong partnerships with Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group she has created meaningful workplace opportunities that equip students with the confidence, skills and experience needed to succeed.
Selina has introduced more than 20 local employers to T-Level placements and supported more than 50 businesses to embrace early talent as part of their long-term recruitment strategy. Within Recruitment Robin, students studying Legal Services, Business Management, Digital and Marketing are immersed in live business operations, gaining hands-on experience across the recruitment process rather than simply observing. Through structured mentoring and increasing responsibility they develop confidence, commercial awareness and transferable workplace skills.
One of those students, Mia Howard, progressed from a reserved learner to independently managing recruitment campaigns and delivering measurable results for clients. Her outstanding development led to Recruitment Robin continuing to work with her following the successful completion of her placement as she prepares to begin her studies at Aston University.
Selina has also worked closely with NSCG to strengthen employer engagement, delivering CPD sessions including Networking for Professionals and Prospecting for Success.
By sharing practical recruitment expertise she has helped placement and curriculum teams build stronger employer relationships and secure more high-quality opportunities for students.
Her own commitment to continuous professional development ensures this advice remains current and impactful.
As a member of the Staffordshire Chambers HR, Skills and Employment Forum, and through regular participation in ACAS and regional HR forums, she stays up to date with employment legislation, workforce development and best practice.
She shares this knowledge with employers through presentations on topics including engaging Generation Z and future workforce planning, helping businesses rethink how they attract, develop and retain emerging talent.
Lyndsey Cherry, Head of Employer Engagements and Partnerships at NSCG, said: “Selina is a true entrepreneurial force. She doesn’t just hire students she develops the wider system that supports their progression.
“Her input has strengthened employer engagement practice and significantly improved access to meaningful placement opportunities.”
Martin Emanuel, Director at For Sale Boards UK, said: “Selina helped us integrate T-Level students into our business in a structured way.
“We’ve now hosted students across digital, engineering and CAD roles and they have contributed meaningfully to our operations while developing valuable skills for the future.”
Recruitment Robin recently underwent a Fair Work Agency compliance inspection, receiving a full clean bill of health and demonstrating full compliance across all areas.
Selina Rudzik has been nominated in the Inspiration in Education category of the Your Heroes Awards.
Clare Clohesy
Clare Clohesy has been described as empathetic and authentic with a relentless drive to make a difference.
Since joining Stoke-on-Trent College just over a year ago she has consistently delivered exceptional and sustained performance as a Community Engagement Practitioner.
That includes engaging with more than 60 veterans and hundreds of families across the city.
She is responsible for delivering high-quality, flexible learning opportunities within local communities, supporting adults to develop skills for work, confidence, wellbeing and progression, while building partnerships and expanding the college’s reach.
She has been nominated in the Inspiration in Education category of the Your Heroes Awards by colleagues at Stoke-on-Trent College.
They said: “Clare has far exceeded the expectations of this role, redefining what community-based education can achieve and serving the city of Stoke-on-Trent with pride.
“Clare’s approach is rooted in a deep understanding of the communities she serves across Stoke-on-Trent.”
Clare does not deliver off-the-shelf sessions. She invests time in understanding the unique needs, barriers and aspirations of each group, adapting her provision to create bespoke, learner-centred experiences.
This has enabled her to engage some of the most hard-to-reach individuals, many of whom face complex social, emotional or economic challenges.
While her role is contractually delivered 9am to 5pm, Clare routinely gives her own time, often moving sessions to evenings and weekends to meet the needs of learners and maximise engagement.
She has also created and personally funded a prize box which she uses to boost enthusiasm and engagement where necessary.
Clare is tasked with attending many community events. She takes activities such as balloon modelling or cake decorating to engage children, allowing her to have meaningful conversations with parents.
Although her role is focused on supporting life skills, she goes above and beyond to support families in accessing wider services. This includes helping parents secure SEN provision for their children and supporting vulnerable individuals to access counselling and medical support. She is also a trusted listener—someone people turn to when challenges feel overwhelming.
She makes learning engaging and enjoyable. For example when teaching adults with learning difficulties basic numeracy she created a curling competition during the Olympics and used it to teach participants how to add and track scores.
Clare has worked extensively with tri-service veterans, many of whom were experiencing isolation, bereavement or PTSD. Through cookery sessions she has not only taught practical skills but rebuilt confidence and purpose. One veteran who had lost his wife and could not cook now prepares meals weekly for others. Another progressed to leading sessions under Clare’s guidance.
Clare supported a veteran with no previous baking experience to enter a cake competition with his grandson. Together they created an Eiffel Tower–shaped cake. This not only developed his skills but gave him a meaningful hobby and strengthened his relationship with his grandson.
While working in assisted living accommodation she supported a woman who had stopped going to the shop due to fear of being short-changed. Clare taught her basic numeracy and how to use a calculator, restoring her confidence and independence.
Clare has worked with parents in schools to build confidence in supporting their children’s learning. One mother, previously unable to engage her children in reading saw all three children actively reading with her within weeks through Clare’s modelling and encouragement.
Through initiatives such as memory bear workshops she has helped families process grief by creating meaningful keepsakes from loved ones’ clothing while also building confidence and practical skills.
Clare also supports parents with school readiness, including helping them potty train their children to ensure they are prepared and independent when starting school.
Clare’s work with diverse groups, including ESOL learners, goes far beyond education. She supports individuals in navigating life in the UK, helping them access healthcare, childcare and essential services, reducing isolation and fostering community cohesion. In one group learners were so impacted by her support that they prepared food from their home countries as a gesture of gratitude, demonstrating the strong, trust-based relationships she builds.
Clare’s nominator added: “Her proactive approach to partnership working and community engagement is exceptional. Clare actively seeks out opportunities, represents the college at events and creates innovative ways to engage families, whether through interactive stalls, creative activities or tailored programmes during school holidays. She identifies gaps in provision and responds with relevant, impactful initiatives, often outside of her formal remit.
“She identifies potential in learners and supports progression, as demonstrated by mentoring individuals into leadership roles. She empowers parents, builds peer support networks and creates environments where individuals uplift one another, ensuring her impact is sustainable and far-reaching.
“She is not just an educator but a trusted advocate, often the person individuals turn to when they have nowhere else to go. From supporting access to SEN services to signposting mental health support and food banks, she consistently goes above and beyond to improve lives.
“Her work does not just support progression. It transforms lives, strengthens communities and embodies the very best of what Stoke-on-Trent College stands for.”