January 20, 2020 - 1278 views
Coleg Llandrillo's rugby engagement officer - and Commonwealth Games medallist - narrowly missed out on winning the title of 'Employee of the Year' this week at the National Centre for Diversity's 2020 awards' ceremony in London after being shortlisted for the final.
Hannah Hughes commenced her role of rugby engagement officer in March 2019. Her post was developed following a partnership between Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) as part of the WRU Hub Programme.
The glitzy black-tie event in Earls Court included a wide range of individual awards, including 'UK Managing Director/CEO of the Year', 'Most Inspiring Individual of the Year' and 'Most Improved Organisation of the Year'.
Hannah works across the Grŵp's three colleges (Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor) over nine campuses, and across four local authority areas.
Her "outstanding enthusiasm, work ethic, commitment to ensuring an inclusive programme is in place for all learners, and her drive to implement this in such a short period of time", is why she was nominated for this UK-wide award.
During her short time within the role Hannah has been involved in the following activities: establishing a range of rugby engagement events that are catered for different groups and abilities across the organisation, delivering these in both the mediums of Welsh and English; leading on girls' and women's taster and activity sessions, and delivering bespoke sessions with Independent Living Skills (ILS) learners which also included organising an ILS rugby festival during the Rugby World Cup which was attended by over 60 ILS learners.
She has also acted as team manager for a mixed-ability rugby team that played and won their first game during the WRU Road to Principality Inclusion Festival, and has developed an inclusive programme of learner participation, including an Active Ambassador Programme.
162 learners signed up to the Active Ambassador scheme in the first two weeks of this academic year!
Whilst doing this she has also kept her commitments out of work, including playing rugby for Caernarfon RFC and Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC), coaching and supporting the U18 Girls for Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC), training and coaching a weekly Judo club (as she is a former Welsh and British Judo Champion and achieved a Bronze Commonwealth Medal), and is also an ambassador for the National Trust.
She recently completed the 6 Peaks Challenge in two and a half days to raise money for Ysbyty Gwynedd's AandE department.
Angharad Mai Roberts, head of Bilingual Development and Learning at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, said:
We are so pleased with Hannah's achievements. The work she has achieved in the college in such a short space of time is extremely important for our vision of supporting all learners' health and wellbeing during their time with us in college.
