Winning the Adult’s Lived Experience and Dual Aspect Gold Award at the Public Sector Transformation Awards means a great deal to me. Growing up, like many people who draw on care and support, I was often told what I would not achieve rather than what might be possible. Those messages can bring a quiet sense of shame that stays with you for years. That is why this moment felt so powerful.
This year marked the first time the awards recognised the dual impact of lived and learnt experience, and for me that is what this award truly represents. It recognises the role that lived experience, alongside the learning that grows from it, plays in creating real change in our systems, our communities, and the way we think about care and support.
For me personally, this feels like a big step forward. Not only in my own journey but also for the awards themselves in recognising the value of experience, insight and leadership that comes from people who draw on care and support.
This award is not just about me. It belongs to the many people who believe in the value of lived experience and the importance of bringing those voices into spaces where decisions are made.
A big thank you to my wonderful colleagues and collaborators who walk alongside me in this work every day. None of this happens alone, and I feel incredibly grateful to be part of such a passionate community working for change.
A heartfelt thank you also to all the people who continue to support, encourage and hold this work with care. You are the ones who make it all worthwhile, along with many others whose belief and solidarity keep this work alive.
On a personal note, I also want to thank everyone with lived experience who uses that experience to create social change. Sharing your story and your insight takes courage, and it helps shape better systems for everyone.
