The 2024 Services Awards took place on Thursday September 12 at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. The awards hosted by the team from the National Armed Forces and Emergency Services Events, celebrate the best in service personnel from armed to emergency to volunteer and 2024’s event was the second year running. 

 

The Services Awards ceremony has nine categories in total and yet another emotive and inspirational evening was had. 

 

The awards were held in association with Blind Veterans UK and the evening kicked off with an emotional speech from Engagement Officer for Blind Veterans UK - SImon Brown. 

 

Local charity, The Connor Brown Trust informed the audience of their fantastic work in raising money for bleed kits and raising awareness of knife crime and the silent auction was held to help raise funds for this. 

 

Firefighter brothers, Mike and Kev Sutcliffe took home the main overall prize of the night as well as their own Fire Service category award. Mike and Kev Sutcliffe, (who work for West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services respectively) organised and completed an endurance challenge at Bridgewater Place, Leeds, fundraising for The Grenfell Foundation and The Fire Fighters Charity.

 

They raised over £3,500, conquering 24 storeys symbolising the height of Grenfell Tower 72 times. Each climb symbolised a life lost at the devastating tower fire in London in 2017. The challenge saw them taking 138,000 steps in total – the equivalent of climbing Big Ben 69 times! 

 

The brothers are both ex-military having served in the Royal Engineers, Mike in 33 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RE, also serving as a personal training instructor and Kev in 59 Commando Squadron RE. After completing the gruelling P Company Course, he worked with Recce Troop for four years.

 

National Armed Forces & Emergency Services Event Director, Mal Robinson said: “The 2024 Services Awards ceremony was another amazing night hearing about people who had gone that extra mile in various forms within the forces and services sectors. 

 

There is a lot of synergy between the forces and services and it was fantastic once more to see people from all walks of the services community come together to network, chat, share opportunities and ideas and of course celebrate our nominees.” 

 

The 2024 Services Awards were hosted by Charlie Richmond and the categories and winners were as follows: 

 

Most Outstanding Royal Navy or Royal Marines in association with Blind Veterans UK

 

Winner - WO Kim Wyche, HMS Collingwood. 

 

Most Outstanding Fire Service in association with Sunderland AFC

 

Winners - Mike & Kev Sutcliffe, West Yorkshire Fire Service & North Yorkshire Fire Service

 

Most Outstanding British Army in association with the Institute of Supply Chain Management 

 

Winner - Mark Hill MBE, Catterick Garrison 

 

Most Outstanding Police in association with MBS Protection Services 

 

Winner - Sgt Oliver Button, Norfolk Police 

 

Most Outstanding RAF in association with Corps Security 

 

Winner - Martin Jarvis, Veteran. 

 

Most Outstanding NHS/Healthcare in association with Training in Care 

 

Winner - Gloria Middleton NHS Armed Forces Lead 

 

Most Outstanding Volunteer in association with Stagecoach

 

Dorothy Westcott - Help for Heroes

 

Most Outstanding Sports in association with National Federation of Demolition Contractors 

 

Winner - Sam Neil, Veterans in Crisis 

 

Most Outstanding Overall Award (drawn from the list of winners above) in association with Northern Trains

 

Winners - Mike and Kev Sutcliffe, West Yorkshire Fire Service & North Yorkshire Fire Service