The College of West Anglia (CWA) proudly commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Kevin Clarke Award with an evening of celebration to mark four decades of recognising endeavour in electrical installation work. This year’s winners were Hope Kemp from Leaping Hare Renewables for the first-year award and Reece Yeoman from Rollins Group for the second-year award.

The Kevin Clarke Award was established in 1984 and is presented yearly to two electrical apprentice students who have shown the highest level of personal achievement and development during the academic year.

It is presented by family members in honour of Kevin Clarke, a former college electrical apprentice who died following a car accident.

The event welcomed back previous award winners from across the decades, creating a sense of legacy and connection. Attendees reflected on their time at CWA and shared how winning the award shaped their personal and professional journeys. From former students to this year’s deserving winners, the event was a powerful reminder of the impact of determination and hard work.

Past winner, Oliver Bingham, said, "I must thank the college for starting my career. Still in the industry after class of 87-88.”

While Paul Manning said, ‘I’m still enjoying being an electrician, even if it’s desk-bound – thirty-four years has gone in a flash.’

The evening featured speeches from past winners alongside a formal presentation to this year’s recipients. Guests enjoyed a nostalgic look back at the history of the award, with photos and memorabilia highlighting the evolution of the College of West Anglia and its students.

CWA Principal, David Pomfret, said, “This is the fortieth anniversary of the awards and we wanted to celebrate this incredible milestone by inviting the former award winners to this special evening. The college is extremely grateful for its long association with the Clarke family through these awards. And I was delighted that we were able to have three generations of the Clarke family celebrating with us”.