Gloucestershire’s Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has released a series of videos celebrating the tireless work of individuals in the county who’ve gone above and beyond in their work, supporting policing.
The videos were created as part of the 2021 Impact Awards, where, together with Gloucestershire Constabulary, Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson presented six awards to those who’ve tackled issues including anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls; and combatting pet theft.
Each award winner was nominated by their peers, with their stories immortalised to video without their knowledge – making for an emotionally charged evening. You can watch the videos here.
The Impact Awards ceremony was held at Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham on Friday 26 November 2021, and recognised individuals who had shown outstanding dedication and commitment at work and in their communities.
More than 30 people across 17 different categories received awards from both the Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner. These awards ranged from outstanding teamwork to individual bravery.
Within the OPCC office, there were six awards, with three video tributes.
Vanessa Worrall was awarded The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Award for Excellence, for her work as the Project Manager of Together in Matson. Starting as a youth worker, Vanessa quickly began to build positive and long-lasting relationships with young people and families in Matson, and she has helped to shape the centre into the success it is today.
Police Constable Kelly Mansell, Police Constable Andy Plant, and Katie Lewis of the Nelson Trust were collectively awarded the Tackling Violence and Intimidation against Women and Girls Award. This specifically related to their excellent collaborative working to help secure the conviction of a violent attacker who targeted women who were sex working.
The Combatting Pet Theft Award, was presented to Harm Reduction Advisor Kim Mowday and Head of Forensic Services Chris Allen, for their outstanding launch of ‘DNA Protected’ – a global first Dog DNA service which tackles pet theft.
The ground-breaking initiative can also help to tackle organised crime, as a stolen dog could help lead police to an illegal dog trader.
