News From Millmead – Latest Council Round-up

Published on: 6 Mar, 2017
Updated on: 8 Mar, 2017

Innovation Award winners announced

The council’s Guildford Innovation Award winners for 2017 include the Royal Surrey County Hospital, the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Age UK Surrey and a number of local companies.

The Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Innovation went to Phygital. The company creates “exciting solutions that blend physical technology with a digital experience”.

The awards reflect inspirational innovation across a spectrum of sectors, and were open to individuals, social enterprises and businesses located in the borough.

The Mayor of Guildford, Gordon Jackson, who attended the ceremony at the Guildhall, said: “I’m extremely proud and delighted that Guildford has so many leaders in innovation.

“The awards are being promoted as part of my theme of ‘inspiring tomorrow’s solutions today’.

“I’d like to thank everyone who entered the awards; from those involved in emerging and enabling technologies, developing the arts, research and development within health, to those who offer innovative products, services, and impressive contributions to sustainability.”

Award winners in each category:

Innovation in Retail: Lumico Design.

Innovation in Sustainability: Oxto Energy.

Innovation in Healthcare: the Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Innovation in the Voluntary Sector: Age UK Surrey.

Innovation in the Creative Industries Sector: the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Innovation in the Emerging Technologies Sector: Phygital.

Young Innovator of the Year: Thomas Whitehead, The Pirbright Institute

Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Innovation : Phygital

Grants to help improve people’s lives

Fourteen charitable organisations, from sports clubs to youth development, will receive a share of more than £108,000 from the council to support projects that improve the lives of local residents.

The projects selected for one-year funding include:

£15,000 for Oakleaf Enterprise’s Reach out for Wellbeing project in the area of Westborough and Stoke wards.

£15,000 to St John Ambulance for its Donate for Defibs project.

£15,000 for the CHIPS holiday play scheme’s Healthy Lives, Brighter Future project.

Other smaller schemes include support for Surrey Youth Focus, dance acrobatics for teens and improvements to East Clandon Village Hall.

The community grants scheme supports projects that improve the lives of vulnerable residents, promote health and wellbeing, reduce inequality, improve access to training, skills and work opportunities.

Cllr Tony Rooth, lead councillor for housing and social welfare said: “Local charities play a vital role in helping make our borough a great place for everyone to live. The projects we support with grant funding all help to improve the lives of local residents in some way, from improving mental health to reducing inequality.”

Celebrating sporting achievements

Olympians, Paralympians and Invictus Games competitors from Guildford came together to share their successes with its first group of Specsavers Surrey Youth Games Young Ambassadors.

Anne Usher (nee Dickens), Amy Wilson-Hardy and George Nash, who competed in the Rio 2016 games, took part in a presentation ceremony celebrating their achievements, and shared their experiences with a question and answer session. An interview with Guildford’s Invictus Games competitor, Andrew Kelsey, also took place.

Pictured are Invictus Games athlete Andrew Kelsey, Olympian Amy Wilson- Hardy, Olympian George Nash, Paralympian Anne Usher (nee Dickens), and two of team Guildford’s Surrey Youth Games Young Ambassadors.

Twenty-five Specsavers Surrey Youth Games Young Ambassadors who competed for Team Guildford in the 2015 Surrey Youth Games also attended to celebrate their new role.

The ambassadors, from 10 local primary schools and five local secondary schools, enjoyed meeting and greeting the Olympic and Invictus Games athletes, and sharing personal accounts from their sporting achievements.

The Specsavers Surrey Youth Games competition weekend takes place on June 17 and 18. It is supported by Guildford Borough Council.