As we do each year at both the Spring and Autumn Conferences, we take a moment to celebrate and recognise the inspiring individuals or groups who have provided outstanding service and commitment to the party over the past year.
These awards serve as a small token of our immense gratitude for the hard work, dedication, and passion each has shown.
The award winners this time were:
Belinda Eyre-Brook Award – Lucy Lennon
Lucy Lennon was recognised for her impressive local campaign efforts in Hull. In her first role after graduating from university, Lucy has been instrumental in helping us make strides against Labour in northern England, particularly by retaining control of the local council.
Over the past two years, Lucy has served as the local organiser, managing two local elections and two by-elections. During the General Election, she took on the task of running three Westminster constituencies and acted as agent for all of them.
In addition to her exceptional people skills, Lucy has mastered various technologies, including Fleet, Connect, Lighthouse, and Typeform.
She has even managed with aplomb the tough task of having our Director of Campaigns, Dave McCobb, as one of her candidates!
Her dedication and hard work made her a deserving recipient of this year’s award.
Dadabhai Naoroji Award – West Hertfordshire Local Party and Dacorum Council group
The overlapping West Hertfordshire Local Party and Dacorum Council group has achieved remarkable electoral success by engaging with all areas of their local community. They have assembled a diverse team of councillors and candidates, representing a range of ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.
Their hard work has demonstrated that minority communities not only want to join the Liberal Democrats but are also eager to further serve their local areas.
This dedication culminated in the election of the first Liberal Democrat MP of East and South East Asian descent.
The efforts of the group and Local Party show that focusing on improving our ethnic diversity is not something just for large urban areas.
The award was collected by Councillor Simy Dhyani and Victoria Collins MP.
Harriet Smith Award – Rosemary McCrum
Rosemary has been the cornerstone of her Local Party for decades. She has guided them through challenging times, taken on nearly every activist role imaginable, filled in when needed, and often juggled multiple responsibilities at once. Rosemary provided the foundation upon which their success has been built.
Her dedication and commitment were crucial in keeping the Local Party running and played a key role in their achievements this year, including an overwhelming victory in the local elections and the election of the area’s first Liberal Democrat MP.
The Woking party triumphed electorally this year, and nominating Rosemary for this award was a small way of recognising the immense contribution of this modest individual in helping them get there.
Patsy Calton Award – Julia Cambridge
Since 2017, Julia has served as Vice-Chair of the Campaign for Gender Balance (CGB), working tirelessly to support, mentor, and encourage female candidates across the party. She has been a steadfast advocate for selecting women in winnable seats, and many of the newly elected female MPs can attest to the impact Julia has had in helping them overcome traditional barriers to selection and election.
In addition to her efforts, Julia has been a dedicated councillor and Mayor for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, playing a crucial role in the campaign team that successfully retained the Richmond Park seat in the General Election.
This year, the Liberal Democrats reached a record high in female MPs, with women making up 44% of the Parliamentary party. This achievement highlights the importance of Julia’s work in supporting women candidates to compete on equal footing with their male counterparts over the past few years.
Donna Harris, Chair of Liberal Democrat Women, the official party body which presents this award, came on stage to hand it to Julia.
Penhaligon Award – North Cotswolds and Tewkesbury local party
In April 2019, the Tewkesbury Liberal Democrats had just two councillors, both of whom were stepping down in the upcoming local elections. However, during the 2019 Local Elections, the team made a strong push, resulting in the election of eight councillors. Later that year, they displaced Labour to become the main opposition to the Conservatives in the General Election.
Their success continued in both County and Local Elections, and by May 2023, the Lib Dems had elected 16 councillors, ousting the Conservative administration and appointing a Lib Dem Leader, Deputy Leader, and Mayor.
With the 2024 constituency boundary changes, Tewkesbury joined forces with neighbouring colleagues to form the new North Cotswolds and Tewkesbury Local Party.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of local activists and volunteers, many of whom are now elected representatives, the North Cotswolds and Tewkesbury Liberal Democrats have seen rapid and steady growth – and this momentum is set to continue.
The award was collected on behalf of this impressive team by Babs Farmer.
President’s Award – Paula Yates
Paula has dedicated over four decades of service to the Party. Since joining the Liberal Party in Carmarthenshire in 1982, she has held numerous roles, including local councillor, Council Leader, Parliamentary Candidate, and President of the Welsh Party. She continues her commitment as a member of the Welsh Party Board.
Throughout her career, Paula has faced these responsibilities – and the challenges they bring – with determination, energy, and an unwavering sense of humour. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to treat members with understanding and respect.
Her quiet words of wisdom so often head off problems and I have been very grateful for her support in the time we were Federal Board colleagues.
Paula’s immense contributions over the years make her a truly deserving recipient of the President’s Award.
We are incredibly fortunate to have such devoted members who help drive our shared vision forward, and their commitment continues to inspire us all. If you know someone who you feel deserves an award, look out for the nomination process on the website in January for our Spring Conference awards.
* Mark Pack is Party President and is the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire.