The 2026 Services Awards Winners Announced
The list of winners has been announced for the 2026 Services Awards.
The Services Awards which take place each year and are produced by the National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Events (NAFESE) team, celebrate the best in service from armed to emergency to volunteer and they took place on Wednesday May 13 as part of the daytime National Armed Forces and Emergency Services Event 2026 at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
The Services Awards featured five categories for 2026 - Most Outstanding Armed Forces, Most Outstanding Emergency Services, Most Outstanding Volunteer, Mental Health Champion (across all services) and Most Outstanding Overall.
Event Director for NAFESE, Mal Robinson added, “each year you think you have heard it all in terms of heroism and selflessness, when it comes to people in the services and each year, you become equally as humbled and astounded at the sheer level of integrity of the most professional of people…it really is a proud moment for everyone, when the awards come round each year.”
Kerryanne Wilde was crowned the Overall Winner of the 2026 Services Awards having also won the Most Outstanding Volunteer award category.
Part of the citation for Kerryanne's winning entry was as follows:
"Kerryanne is the embodiment of service before self, seamlessly weaving her professional expertise as a Defence Relationship Manager into a tireless, 24/7 commitment to the veteran community.
Outside of her professional hours, Kerryanne acts as a vital bridge for service leavers.
Using her vast network and social media presence, she provides bespoke guidance on resettlement and education, ensuring no veteran feels adrift during the challenging transition to civilian life. Her ability to translate military experience into civilian success has
changed the trajectory of countless lives.
As the Founder and Director of CERT (UK), Kerryanne has built a lifeline for the Armed Forces community in Cumbria. Under her leadership, the charity tackles the most pressing issues—homelessness, financial hardship, and mental health crises—providing not just
referrals, but genuine hope and tangible career support."
The winners list in full is below.
Most Outstanding Armed Forces - in association with Maersk
Lieutenant Colonel Terry McDermott-Moses (British Army Reserves)
Most Outstanding Emergency Services - in association with IOSCM
NHS Fife
Most Outstanding Volunteer - in association with Stagecoach
Kerryanne Wilde (Penrith/Eden AFVBC)
Mental Health Champion in association with City and Guilds
Jason Smith (Zero78 Training)
The winner of the Most Outstanding Overall category in association with ACUA Ocean
Kerryanne Wilde
NAFESE 2025 The National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Events (NAFESE) Team is delighted to announce the launch of their main event for 2025 - The National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event 2025 (NAFESE 2025). NAFESE 2025 will take place on Wednesday April 9 at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland and Beacon of Light, Sunderland and it is the only National event celebrating the communities of both the forces and blue light services under one roof. NAFESE 2025 will be the third year of the event and the biggest to date, incorporating not one, but two sites adjacent to each other at the prestigious Sunderland Stadium of Light - home of the event for the past two years. The National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event typically features a Recruitment & Resettlement Zone for those leaving the services, a STEM Village for visiting schools and colleges, a Regional Showcase Hub for local brands and firms to showcase themselves on a National stage and an Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club - open to all attendees and exhibitors on the day and featuring guest speakers. As mentioned, for the first time, NAFESE will be staged over two sites - The Stadium of Light and the Beacon of Light - and also for the first time, NAFESE will feature a trade show element for the forces and services…the only one of its kind in the UK covering ALL of the services. NAFESE 2025 is set to be the biggest event ever staged for the service family in more ways than one! Commercial Opportunities for NAFESE 2025 Main Event Partner/Sponsor Your company/brand name included in the title of the event 2 x 6ms x 2ms stands at NAFESE 2025 - one at the Stadium of Light site and one at the Beacon of Light site Full page editorial and full page advert in Eyes Front - the official national event magazine for NAFESE 2025 Opening speech for NAFESE 2025 by a spokesperson of your choice at the Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club Promotional video footage on your company from the NAFESE team in the lead up to the event Your company video footage on all screens within the Stadium of Light at NAFESE 2025 10 tickets for the Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club at NAFESE 2025 Your logo on all event literature in the build up and at all events Optional extra of a presentation area inside the Beacon of Light at NAFESE 2025 1 x tables of 10 at the Covenant ‘25 Gala Ball held in London on April 2 (more info to be sent) Your company colours displayed on the entire outside of the Beacon of Light in the evening ahead of NAFESE 2025 Your logo on the cover of the Covenant ‘25 Anniversary Brochure inside the NAFESE Directory for 2025 Full page welcome, full page editorial and full page advert inside Covenant ‘25 Anniversary Brochure inside the NAFESE 2025 Directory Associate Sponsor Associate Sponsorship of both NAFESE 2025 1 x 6ms x 2ms stand at NAFESE 2025 at the location of your choice (either Stadium of Light or Beacon of Light sites) Full page Advert inside Eyes Front - the official magazine for NAFESE 2025 6 tickets for the Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club at NAFESE 2025 Your logo on all event literature across all events 1 x table of 10 at the Covenant ‘25 Gala Ball on April 2nd in London Your logo on the cover of the Covenant ‘25 Anniversary Brochure inside the NAFESE 2025 Directory 1 x full page advert inside the Covenant ‘25 Anniversary Brochure inside the NAFESE 2025 Directory STEM Village Sponsor 1 x stand space at the entrance to the Village 1 x full page advert in the event brochure Your logo on signage within the STEM Village Half page editorial feature in NAFESE 2025 Community Directory Regional Showcase Hub Sponsor 1 x trader stand space at the entrance to the Hub 1 x full page advert in the event brochure and various features in local press Your logo on signage within the Hub Selfie Frame Sponsor Your logo on the selfie frame used by the official photographer at NAFESE 2025 1 x exhibitor stand space at NAFESE 2025 1 x full page advert in the event brochure at NAFESE 2025 Exhibitor Stands - Stadium of Light 1 x full stand space at the NAFESE 1 x full listing in the official event brochure and online Stakeholder Engagement Package Do you feel you are a viable stakeholder to the NAFESE but can not make the event? We have the Stakeholder Engagement Package available allowing you presence there on the day. The package includes: Quarter Page space within the event brochure Promotional items of your choice to the event bag Both items are handed out at the Breakfast Club and Exhibition Please email hospitality@nafese2023.com for further information and pricing.