We are consistently blown away by the dedication and selflessness of our community. The annual President’s Awards is our way of recognising outstanding people doing remarkable things to make muscles matter.
Award winners and highly commended
Alexander and Valerie Patrick Award for Carer of the Year
This award recognises Alexander and Valerie Patrick’s huge, lifelong commitment to and generous support of the charity. Not only was Alex an Honorary Life President, but the founder of the grant-giving arm, the Joseph Patrick Trust (JPT), which enables people with muscle-wasting conditions to get the equipment they need to live independently.
This award goes to the person who has selflessly offered vital, behind-the-scenes support to someone with a muscle-wasting condition, enabling them to live as independently as they choose.
Winner: Emma-Jayne Ashley
Read more about Emma’s experiences in our blog here.
Highly commended: Darren Driffield
The Early Career Scientist of the Year Award
Every day scientists are finding out more about muscle-wasting conditions so that we can bring new treatments and new hope to people.
This award celebrates a UK-based, up-and-coming, postdoctoral researcher who’s helping to shape our understanding of these conditions or uncover potential new treatments.
Winner: Vinojini Vivek
Read more about Vinojini’s research in our blog here.
Highly commended: Suzanne Glover
Fundraisers of the Year
Our supporters have been busy helping to organise inventive and impactful fundraisers for MDUK. They took on huge challenges, gathered groups together, encouraged their communities to get involved.
This award celebrates the outstanding, and creative fundraising achievements of an individual or a group as we get back into the swing of in-person events.
Winner: The Chubb Family
Read more about the Chubb family’s motivation for fundraising in our blog here.
Highly commended: Peter Neville
Volunteer of the Year
MDUK has an outstanding community of volunteers, whose time, expertise, and valued perspectives make a huge difference to all areas of the charity. With this award, we’re honouring a volunteer whose selfless efforts have made a huge difference to our community of people living with muscle-wasting conditions.
Winner: Claire Boylan
Read more about Claire’s motivation for volunteering in our blog here.
Highly commended: Andrew Norman
Richard Attenborough Award for Outstanding Achievement
Our community is made up of people who bring colour, courage, and ambition to make muscles matter. And it’s this energy that keeps us focused on what truly matters: being there for our community.
This award recognises someone who made a huge difference to people with a muscle-wasting condition in their own unique way.
Winner: Chloe Ball-Hopkins
Read more about Chloe’s experiences in our blog here.
Peter and Nancy Andrews Community Achievement
This is the second year this award will be presented, in honour of the late Peter and Nancy Andrews, two exceptional supporters of MDUK. They were involved with MDUK right from its humble beginnings as an informal fundraising group, and started the charity’s first branch, in Solihull.
Without any personal connection to the cause, they gave more than 50 years to community fundraising for MDUK. With this award, we recognise true community champions.
Winner: Tiffany Hesson
Read more about Tiffany’s experiences in our blog here.
Highly commended: Phillippa Farrant
Thank you
Award recipients were nominated either by staff or the public and shortlisted by a judging panel of volunteers consisting of two of the charity’s trustees; Ian Gordon and Scott Keown and long-term supporter and active committee member at MDUK, James Lee. The Richard Attenborough Award for Outstanding Achievement was judged by Michael and Karen Attenborough.
MDUK’s CEO Catherine Woodhead said:
This year’s judging process was harder than ever, and we are exceptionally thankful to our President Gabby Logan for giving up her time to not only present some of the awards but for helping with the process from start to finish.
A special thank you to Tottenham Hotspur’s, Son Heung-min, MDUK’s Honorary Life President, Sue Barker, Michael Attenborough CBE, and his wife Karen, along with our Trustee, Michelle Anthony, for giving up their time to celebrate this charity milestone.
“We’re sending a huge congratulations to all our 2022 President’s Award winners, and all the nominees, and we thank them for their outstanding achievements to help make muscles matter.