The Cutlers - The Company Today

Awards, 2010-2011

 AWARDS

Joint Education Awards, 2011

The Fifty-fourth Annual Awards were presented at the Cutlers’ Hall on 29 March 2011, at which the Master Cutler presided and spoke.  The Master of The Worshipful Company of Armourers & Brasiers, Sir Colin Humphreys, also spoke and presented the following individuals with their respective awards;

These Awards are funded by grants from The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire and The Worshipful Company of Armourers & Brasiers and the winners were selected in early February by an interview panel, chaired by Mr J C Bramah and assisted by Mr J A Tear.

South Yorkshire Police Awards 2011

The Eighteenth Annual Awards made by the Company to recognise exemplary service were presented at the Cutlers’ Hall on Wednesday 13 July 2011 by the Master Cutler. 

Group Award – Force Incident Managers. 

This year’s group award went to the Force Incident Managers, a group of inspectors who provide 24/7 cover for South Yorkshire Police.  The initial response to an incident is often vital.  Immediate and appropriate action can deal with an incident rapidly and result in a better outcome with more effective use of resources.  The Force Incident Managers provide the immediate control and management of incidents reported to the police.  This particularly applies to major and critical incidents.  They have, at their disposal, all police assets including the SY99 Helicopter, Armed Response, Hostage Negotiators and Underwater Search Teams.  They are trained to command firearms deployments and to manage and control critical incidents.  In recent years, they have commanded incidents which have varied from an aeroplane crash in Rotherham through shootings in Sheffield, to bomb warnings and chemical suicides.  To be effective, they need a thorough understanding of both South Yorkshire Police and all partner agencies. 

Their decisions to act or, in some cases, to stand back can have a very significant impact.  They make life and death decisions on a daily basis and their ability to make the right decision and remain calm is constantly tested. They consistently get the right resources to the right place at the right time to deal with incidents.  They are held in high esteem by colleagues and, in the spirit of providing excellent service to the public, have invited various groups to Atlas Court to see how an emergency call is dealt with.  The Master and Mistress Cutler have been to this facility as invited guests.  Not only do they provide the right result but they are vital in ensuring that scarce resources are used to best effect. 

Individual Award – Sgt Suzanne Snowden – Wentworth Valley SNT. 

Sergeant Suzanne Snowden leads the Wentworth Valley Safer Neighbourhood Team which covers Maltby in Rotherham.  She takes a community led approach and is considered inspirational by her team of police and community support officers.  She is part of the Community and, apart from being visible through patrols and her presence at events, she involves herself and her family in initiatives even when off duty.  She has a great ability to engage the public as evidenced by her instigation of two new neighbourhood watch schemes, the public’s improved trust leading to better information.  The result is reduced crime and anti social behaviour. 

As well as engaging the public, she has also taken a multi agency approach, introducing initiatives such as joint patrols with youth workers and drug/alcohol advisors as well as communicating directly with repeat victims and providing diversionary activities.  Her drive and leadership along with her belief in the value of policing in partnership with the public have led to huge improvements and confidence and a reduced fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.  She is a worthy winner of this year’s Cutlers’ Company Individual Award. 

The James Neill Trust Fund made generous donations to charities nominated by the Group and Individual winners.  Force Incident Managers nominated Macmillan Cancer Support Neighbourhood Watch which received £500 and Sergeant Snowden nominated Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice which received £250. Cheques to representatives from each charity were presented by Mrs Nina Peel, who represented the Trust.

In presenting the awards, the Master Cutler said that it had been very difficult to select the winners from the very high quality nominations this year.  He congratulated the winners but also took the opportunity to comment upon how vital the South Yorkshire Police are to all of us and particularly business, as we can operate in security.  He then asked the Deputy Chief Constable to take back the message that there was recognition of the excellent job that the police are doing in very difficult circumstances. 

The Deputy Chief Constable thanked the Master Cutler for his kind words and said that he took great pleasure in being present at these awards.