Army

Women in Defence Awards 2021: Six nominations for the Army

Five serving members of the British Army and an Army-initiated network have been nominated for this year's Women in Defence Awards.

The awards look to recognise and celebrate the contributions of women across the defence sector.

And this year, the Army is the service with the greatest number of nominees.

Brigadier Clare Phillips CBE, from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), has been nominated for the Inspirational Award, recognising her work to inspire colleagues across her 27-year career.

As an openly gay woman, Brig Phillips has also spoken candidly of her experiences and was appointed as the co-chair of the Army LGBT+ Network.

Watch: Boris Johnson – Armed Forces fail to support serving women 'too often'.

Brigadier Alison McCourt OBE is nominated for the Outstanding Contribution Award for the role she played in the pandemic response.

Brig McCourt deployed with two hours' notice to the NHS to help lead the joint team charged with building seven Nightingale hospitals.

Once she had led the team to success after a three-month deployment, Brig McCourt volunteered to stay at NHS headquarters to continue helping the UK battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Lieutenant Colonel Linda Orr OBE is up for the Innovation and Creativity Award.

It comes after she formed an international collaboration that researched, created and delivered a new hearing assessment and treatment for those who have been hearing-injured while on operations.

Watch: New research aimed at better supporting women veterans' mental health.

Both Lance Corporal Natasha Day and Sergeant Louise Bradley have been nominated in the Unsung Heroines category.

LCpl Day, a combat medical technician, returned to work last year when her son was just six-months-old.

Despite wanting to continue breastfeeding, she struggled to find the answers in policy on how to go about it.

So, she decided to set up the Defence Breastfeeding Network – creating a safe area for mothers and partners to talk about breastfeeding and ensuring the Army can support them.

The network itself has been nominated for the Equality of Opportunity Award in recognition of its work.

The group also provides guidance on health issues, maternity leave, returning to work and how to overcome barriers in the workplace, as well as advocating for equality in the workplace for breastfeeding mothers to ensure they don't fall behind.

Watch: Lance Corporal Natasha Day, a combat medical technician, set up Breastfeeding Network.

Sgt Bradley was nominated for going above and beyond in her role as a Medical Sergeant.

She voluntarily took on the responsibility of additional training and testing of sub-unit personnel.

Sgt Bradley has also found time to complete a five-week clinical induction course allowing her to complete voluntary unpaid work in support of the NHS.

Since completing the course during off-duty periods, she has worked alongside the South-Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), based in Bracknell, where she regularly completes voluntary unpaid clinical shifts up to 12 hours long.

Watch: Army Sports Awards return to celebrate service's top sports stars.

The full list of the 2021 Women in Defence UK Awards shortlisted nominees:

Inspirational Award:

Colonel (now Brigadier) Clare Phillips - Army
Private Hannah Sluggett - Army
Holli Kimble - MOD
Captain Joanne Ellett - Army
Lianne Al-Khaldi - MOD
Chief Petty Officer (UW) Lindsey Hallam - Royal Navy
Sally Davis - DSTL

Outstanding Contribution Award:

Colonel (now Brigadier) Alison McCourt - Army
Surgeon Lieutenant Claire Lillington - Royal Navy
Denise Hunt - Scientific Management International Ltd
Dr Eluned Lewis - DE&S
Fiona Clark - Leonardo UK Ltd
Lieutenant Commander Laura Robinson - Royal Navy
Samantha Seaton - DIO (Defence Infrastructure Organisation)
Lieutenant Victoria Rees - Royal Navy

Most Collaborative Award:

Dr Debra Carr – DASA
Elaine Falconer - Jacobs
Dr Gillian Marshall - QinetiQ
Julie Brierley - Royal Air Force Museum
Lindsay Hawker - Atkins
Surgeon Commander Lisa Stevens - Royal Navy
Wing Commander Sarah McDonnell - Royal Air Force

Resolute Spirit Award:

Private Anna Trowler - Army
Staff Sergeant Claudine Martin - Army
Dr Emma Egging - Jon Egging Trust
Sergeant Georgina Smith - Royal Air Force
Lieutenant Gina Allsop - ACF
Penny - MI5
Rebecca Broome - Lockheed Martin

Equality of Opportunity Award:

Sergeant Danny Holt - Royal Air Force
Defence Breastfeeding Network - Army
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Diane Allen - The Service Sisterhood Connective
Rear Admiral Jim Macleod - Royal Navy
Lieutenant Colonel John Rendall - Army
Louise Dale - Leonardo UK Ltd

Emerging Talent Award:

Caitlin Percy - BAE Systems
Catarina Santos - QinetiQ
Eleanor May - dstl
Lieutenant Hana Rabuzin - Royal Navy
Megan Wakeling - Airbus Defence and Space Ltd
Neelofar Ansari - BAE Systems
Rebecca Priestley - MOD/Air Command
Robin Spurr - Cavendish Nuclear

Unsung Heroines Award:

Abi Griffin - Northrop Grumman UK Ltd
Lieutenant Colonel Claire James - Army
Major Elizabeth Winfield - CCF
Surgeon Captain Kate Prior - Royal Navy
Sergeant Louise Bradley - Army
Lance Corporal Natasha Day - Army
Tina - MI5
Lieutenant Colonel Tracy Appleyard - Army

Innovation and Creativity Award:

Lieutenant Colonel Linda Orr - Army
Sarah Hotze - dstl/Royal Air Force
Captain Sophie Kennedy - Army
Warrant Officer Class 2 Stella Gale - Army
Susannah Jones - dstl
Professor Veronica Bowman - dstl

STEM in Defence Award:

Engineering the Future - Leonardo UK Ltd
Flight Lieutenant Kelly Mahon - Royal Air Force
Sally Cranstone - Lockheed Martin
Sarah Cooper - Leonardo UK Ltd
Sophie Wilson - Raytheon UK

Inclusive Teamwork Award:

British Army Recruiting Group - Army/Capita
Defence Women’s Network - Defence Digital
MI5’s Safety, Health and Wellbeing (SHaW) Team - MI5
STAAR: Summer Time Advanced Aerospace Residency Programme Delivery Team - Royal Air Force Museum
The Skynet Service Delivery Wrap Team - Defence Digital