• Celebrations

Colleagues, teams and volunteers from across the Trust have been recognised for the outstanding difference they make to patients, families and local communities.

Our annual All Star Awards, held on Friday 10 July, celebrated achievements in compassionate care, innovation, partnership, volunteering and service improvement.

The Community In Reach Team was among this year’s winners, receiving the Clinical Team of the Year award. The multidisciplinary service works across Berkshire to help people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. By working closely with hospital, community, primary care and social care teams, the team supports safe and timely hospital discharges, helps prevent unnecessary admissions and plays an important role in delivering joined-up care across the county.

The Compassionate Care Award was presented to Donna Smillie, Staff Vaccination Programme and Locality Lead in the Berkshire Immunisation Team, and Mel Jarvis, CAMHS Service Manager. Donna was recognised for her warmth, energy and unwavering dedication, consistently going above and beyond to improve the lives of the people she supports through public health initiatives and hands-on clinical care. Mel was recognised for her compassionate, values-led approach to improving care for children, young people and families, and for supporting teams to listen, learn and work together to make lasting improvements.

The Volunteer and Charitable Contribution Award was presented to the Slough Older People’s Mental Health Living Well Programme Co-production Team. Made up of former carers and people with lived experience, the team generously volunteers it’s time to shape, support and deliver activities across the programme. Their insight, empathy and understanding help ensure services reflect the needs of the people they support, showing the power of partnership and co-production in creating meaningful support for individuals, families and the wider community.

Sophie Widdison received the Bill Johnston Innovation Award for her outstanding contribution to quality improvement across the Trust. Recognised for her enthusiasm, collaborative approach and commitment to continuous improvement, Sophie has played a key role in helping colleagues develop the confidence and skills to improve care in their own services.

Melanie Matthews, Regulatory Compliance Lead, was named Non-Clinical Colleague of the Year. Since joining the Trust in 2024, Melanie has made a significant contribution to strengthening governance, quality and patient safety, helping to turn complex processes into clear, accessible systems that support teams across the organisation.

“The All Star Awards are one of the highlights of our year, giving us a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the dedication, compassion and achievements of our colleagues and teams. It is our people who make Berkshire Healthcare what it is, going above and beyond every day to make a difference to our patients, communities and each other. Having the chance to come together to thank them and celebrate their incredible contributions is a privilege, and something I always look forward to each year.”
Julian Emms, Chief Executive

This year’s award winners

Quality, Safety and Partnership Award
Katalin Walsby

Volunteer and Charitable Contribution Award
Slough OPMH Living Well Programme Co-production team

Respect for Everyone Award
Lucy Bashir

People’s Choice Award
Magdalena Nowak

The Bill Johnston Innovation Award
Sophie Widdison

Non-Clinical Colleague of the Year
Melanie Matthews

Compassionate Care Award
Donna Smillie

Compassionate Care Award
Mel Jarvis

Non-Clinical Team of the Year
Berkshire Wellness Hub

Clinical Team of the Year
Community In Reach Team