On Friday 10th May 2024, HASU hosted it’s inaugural HASU Awards Ceremony in the Barn, on Harper Adams University campus. The purpose of the awards is to recognise members of the Students’ Union for their outstanding contribution to academic change and to the Clubs and Societies at HASU. Throughout the evening’s celebrations, we reflected on a tremendous year of achievements of our individuals, groups and teams and presented each winner with a shield trophy that will be engraved and displayed for years to come. Please read on to see the shortlisted nominees and winners of each award – the statements below were put together by the Master of Ceremonies on the evening, 23/24 Activities Coordinator, Ian Broadhurst. The breakdown of criteria for each award can be found here.
Club of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Tennis, Dance, Gaelic Football Ladies, Archery
Winner:
Ladie’s Gaelic Football
‘Club started from zero, no fa team together, set up the club within the SU, attract 13 paid members, purchased kit, and arranged travel to play in a Birmingham league on Saturdays.’
Society of the Year
Harper Ireland, Land Management Society, Engineering
Winner:
Land Management Society
‘Numerous successful events that have brought like-minded people together. Excellent organisation and awareness raising. Continued to develop relationships internally and externally.’
Sportsman of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Archie Benson, Joe Marriot, Will Harvey, Euan Ramsey, Will Tomlinson, Jack Butler
Winner:
Jack Butler
‘Most improved in terms of fitness and an increase in team playership. A very underrated player for the third team rugby.’
Sportswoman of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Phoebe Eglington, Poppy Sleightholme, Jaimee Burnage, Annie Shelley, Ellie Bradner, Martha Howatson
Winner:
Martha Howatson
‘This person has led the club exceptionally well this year, not only leading from the front during games, but off the field as well, especially from a social point of view. She is a most worthy winner of this award.’
Club Personality of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Poppy Sleightholme, Martha Howatson, Tom Spencer, Katie Mettam
Winner:
Poppy Sleightholme
‘Students award – I can see why this person had the most nominations as I have witnessed it myself on Wednesday afternoons! The individual is a very lively character who oozes fun and attracts like-minded students. This student is also a very good rugby player.’
Society Personality of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Kathryn McMaster, Lewis Hogg, Pippa Phillips
Winner:
Lewis Hogg
‘Improved the Society through dedication and hard work in ensuring successful performances across numerous local gigs, including all Balls at Harper this year. He has made great efforts to improve the Society’s way of running and created a welcoming and inclusive environment for all to perform.’
Most Improved Club or Society
Shortlisted Nominees:
Ladie’s Rugby, Dance, Music Society
Winner:
Dance
‘From a low starting point, through trials and tribulations, they came together as a committee, worked very hard to create numerous routines and practiced ahead of a national competition where they finished in third place in a number of different classes.’
Executive Committee of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Harper Ireland, Horseball, Rowing
Winner:
Harper Ireland
‘This committee have had a really interesting year with so much going on… a Ball and Dinner to prepare for, hosting of guests, organising merch and trips away and deciding what to do with their scholarship/bursary money – the team have come together and worked well with the HASU staff to leave the next Exec Committee members in a good position!’
Innovative Online Engagement Award
Shortlisted Nominees:
Engineering, Motorsport, Snowsports
Winner:
Snowsports
‘The committee have grown this relatively new club’s social media presence from nothing and now have a following of over 400 students. They’ve been creative with their content with some videos reaching 4.4k views and even involving celebrities. Their online marketing has also significantly improved their offline engagement – the committee have certainly left a good legacy for the next team to take on.’
Charity and Community Impact Award
Shortlisted Nominees:
Harper Cymru, Engineering, Tom York
Winner:
Engineering
‘Charity – Innovative idea to involve a fun night with raising money and food donations for a food bank charity. The chair of the society held a fantastic auction at their annual dinner and subsequently raised lots of money for charity. Community – Many trips organised for the society and wider Harper community including local, national and international trips!’
Educational Champion of the Year (Staff Voted)
Shortlisted Nominees:
Fenrir Dower, Bethan Gummow, Harry Parsons, Nancy Yang
Winner:
Nancy Yang
‘Nancy was always very attentive to represent the needs and views of the Food Quality Retail Management students from Beijing Agriculture University. She was very enthusiastic to help and enable the making of Dumplings during Chinese New Year/Spring Festival. She is always smiling and liked by both the Chinese and UK students.’
Educational Champion of the Year (Student Voted)
Shortlisted Nominees:
Matthew England, Sian Jones, Lise Taylor, Niamh McGrath, Jack Thatcher, Rhodri Williams, Max Tennant, Beth Kavanagh, Jack Nevin, Mollie Kelly
Winner:
Lise Taylor
‘Her course feedback is always excellent and she tries her best during and outside meetings. She is highly professional and well-spoken. She can discuss multiple threads in a logical and analytical manner and is always ready to represent others.’
Students’ Union Executive of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Hannah Scott-Cook, Shaznay Creary, Jamie Reynolds
Winner:
Hannah Scott-Cook (Post-Graduate Exec)
‘Represented a significant group of students at various University level meetings, does her best in gathering feedback and takes lead roles of representation alongside her studies. Has established the Post-Graduate Society from nothing; this society is still finding its feet but Hannah has been great at bridging the relationship between the SU and the PostGrad community. This society and the newly formed relationships are just getting underway and Hannah has been instrumental in getting them going – thank you!’
Students’ Union Student Staff Member of the Year
Shortlisted Nominees:
Dom Whittaker, Rhodri Williams
Winner:
Rhodri Williams
‘With nearly 5 years spent working at HASU, Rhodri has proven himself as someone who goes above and beyond in his roles… he always put others before himself and worked well with all those he worked on shift with. Rhodri accrued his fair share of hours at HASU but was always looking to do more!’
Students’ Union President’s Award
Winner(s):
Tom York and Shaznay Creary
‘Tom has made enormous contributions to student life both on and off of Harper’s Campus. Externally, Tom has been involved in all sorts of charity work alongside the Farming Community Network and continues to make impressions on our community despite being out on placement this year. Internally, we’ve worked closely together as Trustees to ensure that students are getting the best experience from their Students’ Union as possible. I hope Tom’s attitude and enthusiasm will continue throughout his remaining time at Harper for he is an outstanding friend and colleague to all who know him. Finally, to note, Tom cannot join us this evening due to his training for the Ironman he is undertaking in June for FCN – HASU wish you all the luck and will support you in anyway we can.
I have worked closely with Shaznay this year in many aspects. Most of you know Shaznay from being one of this year’s RAG Execs but let me tell you, while eating her chicken wings and cold chips in the office while trying to bring together the RAG Events, she has certainly become a friend of the Union. Shaznay receives flying colours of adoration and praises from every University colleague and always puts her best smile forwards, regardless of whether she’s having a tough time. Shaznay, we will miss you next year while you complete your placement but I’ve no doubt you’ll come back in final year ready to get stuck in again.’
Congratulations to all involved! Next year, we hope that more of you will show up to support your peers and friends and we'll be sure to make the event even more special! Shields will be getting engraved over the summer months and will be on display outside of the office for the start of the new academic year. For the full page of photos, please check out our Facebook Photo Album here!
