Leicester Head of Year Recognised for Making a Difference

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 27 July 2022

UPDATED: 27 July 2022

Bernie Walker, Head of Year at New College Leicester, has been shortlisted in BBC Radio Leicester’s Key Worker category for going above and beyond her call of duty to help others.

The awards are a chance to say “Thank You” and show recognition and appreciation for people who love to make life better for others. They encourage people to celebrate individuals who are going above and beyond to make a difference in their local community.

Nominations for the award came from all the staff, students, parents and carers at the college who wanted to say ‘thank you so much’ for Bernie’s huge contribution during the pandemic.

Bernie went above and beyond to support students and their families in challenging times.

Keen to ensure students did not miss out on their education during lockdown, Bernie took to the road to deliver work packs to those who needed them and to provide a friendly face for the school’s families.

When government contractors were unable to fulfil their obligation regarding the free school meal voucher scheme, Bernie stepped up to fill the hunger gaps by developing a local voucher scheme which ensured that New College families could access nutritional food while the school was closed. Bernie then turned her attention to securing food parcels for families to help them out during the school holidays.

Not content with all this outstanding enterprise to ensure that no-one missed out educationally or nutritionally, Bernie was at the forefront of the strategy to support on-site Covid testing, busy organising and managing the students on to site for their test and then again safely off site to await their results. She also issued laptops and routers to over 150 vulnerable students during lockdown.

Jane Brown, Principal at New College Leicester comments:

“Bernie was a constant force for good and consistently went out of her way to help our students and our families. No matter what she was asked to do, or took it upon herself to do, she always did it with a smile on her face – because the children come first.

“Bernie did not only shine during the lockdowns, she always goes the extra mile to help our students. From acting as a welfare officer to (quietly) buy and gift uniforms to students who did not have what they needed, Bernie makes children’s lives better and I am proud to call her my friend and colleague.”   

Bernie Walker adds:

“I was totally shocked when BBC Radio Leicester got in touch to say I had been nominated and then shortlisted for the award. There were so many nominations so I feel very honoured to be one of the finalists. My only aim is to help people within the New College community during these challenging times we find ourselves in. Being thanked in this way is amazing and I want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate me. I am still in shock!”

All finalists will be invited to an award ceremony for the region in which they were nominated in September 2022 where the winners of each category will be announced.

For more information about the awards visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3M4QTQxVtH3z7nbyZjDDS4p/make-a-difference-awards.  

To find out more about New College Leicester, visit: https://www.newcollege.leicester.sch.uk/

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