Thursday 3 March 2022
Selby College was named the winner of the Covid-19 Award at the Goole & Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards – highlighting its commitment to serving its students, staff and local community throughout the pandemic.
The College was recognised for the way in which its staff rose to the many challenges imposed by Covid-19, ensuring that its 1500+ students were able to continue their learning safely, effectively and remotely.
When staff from Selby College heard about the national shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) within the NHS and care homes, Engineering Lecturer Mick Wilson began using the College’s 3D printers to create visors, which were donated to local care homes.
Art & Design Tutor, Kiku McNaughton, sewed sets of scrubs to be donated as part of the ‘Yorkshire Scrubs – For the Love of Scrubs’ initiative.
The College’s Construction, Childcare, Engineering, Hair & Beauty and Science departments also rallied round to collect PPE which was donated to local emergency services to help support frontline staff in the fight against Covid-19.
After what has been a challenging two years for our staff, it’s incredibly rewarding to have their efforts recognised by a highly regarded Award scheme such as the Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards. The Award is a testament to the commitment, resilience and dedication they have shown throughout the pandemic, going above and beyond every day to support our students, their fellow colleagues and the local community.
Despite the challenges, tutors received a fantastic response and willingness from students to engage and participate in online learning. Tutors also provided catch-up sessions so that students didn’t miss out on any lost learning and were able to progress onto their next steps, whether that was going into employment or further studies.
When education institutions were allowed to reopen, the College set up a Covid-19 response team who worked tirelessly to ensure a safe return for all staff, students and visitors. As part of this, a Covid-19 testing centre was set up on campus, providing staff and students with free Lateral Flow Tests to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safe operation of the campus.
In November 2020, an independent audit examining the College’s response to Covid-19 received Substantial Assurance, commending the College for its proactive approach to create a safe environment for all staff, students and visitors.
The Covid-19 Award, which was sponsored by Drax Power, was presented to the College by Jane Breach, Community Engagement & Visitor Centre Team Leader at Drax Group.
The College also made the shortlist for the Training and Development Award which was sponsored by Morgan and Quinn.
The Awards ceremony took place on Friday 25th February 2022, at Goole Academy, and was attended by businesses and organisations from across the region.
