Nominees for UNA-UK's Distinguished Service Awards 2015 announced

Distinguished Service Awards recognise the hard work and dedication of UNA-UK members.  Committees of all UNA nations and regions and UNA Youth make nominations for these awards which will be presented at UNA-UK's Annual General Meeting on 16 May 2015.   Those nominated for this year’s Distinguished Service Award, along with the name of the region or nation that nominated them are below. Congratulations to them all!  

Chris Dickenson, Central Region

  Chris has been a tireless advocate and worker for UNA over many years. His connection with the Cheltenham Branch goes back some 20 years. Chris set up the an East Gloucestershire Branch of the Association in 2003. Though membership was small, the activities undertaken were major, including much work in local schools and with other community organisations. Activities included visits to UNA Switzerland, the World Federation of United Nations Associations in Geneva, and more locally a series of meetings with MPs discussing UN matters in local schools. As membership grew, the branch expanded to become the ‘Gloucestershire Rural Branch’ with American and Russian diplomats and other distinguished speakers amongst speakers invited to the Branch.   Chris served on the Central Regional Council and was the final representative for the region on the UNA-UK Board prior to reorganisation in 2012. Importantly for the Region, and UNA-UK, Chris inaugurated the biennial lecture in memory of the former regional President, Elnora Ferguson of the Allan and Nestor Ferguson Charitable Trust. Lord Hannay of Chiswick gave the first lecture.   In 2011 Chris spearheaded the merger of the then three UNA branches in the county to form the united ‘Gloucestershire County Branch’. For approaching five years this has been a vibrant branch, with numerous well-attended meetings, lectures and conferences, as well as engaging with many others in the area and beyond on UNA issues. Chris also felt he needed a better perspective of the UN's place in international relations and enrolled on a Masters course at Cardiff University. His dissertation on Swiss/EU identity gained a distinction. During this time he also secured Sir Crispin Tickell, former UK UN Ambassador, as President of the Branch   Chris's commitment and inspiration has been of great importance to the success of the Branch.  He is also a British Red Cross volunteer and Vice-Chair of Trustees of the Lilian Faithfull (care) Homes in Cheltenham.    

Keith Hindell, London & South East Region

  Keith Hindell has been a member of the United Nations Association since 1968, and has served on the committee of London and SE Region for eighteen years, being Chairman 1997-2001.  In addition he was a member of the UNA Board of Directors for five years.  He was also the BBC's United Nations Correspondent 1980-84. During his membership he has contributed in numerous ways, organising meetings, speaking at most of the branches in the Region and, in 2009, running a study tour to the UN in Geneva. His contribution to the Association has been outstanding.    

Margaret Matthews, Southern Counties Region 

  Over the past years Margaret Matthews has risen from being an enthusiastic branch member to being the driving force behind the organisation of the Southern Counties Region as well as tirelessly working to organise and promote the Southampton branch.   Without her dedication and relentless efforts to organise and push on other members of the Region, in particular the Chairman, the Region could well have ceased to operate over what has been a time of reflection and consideration of purpose.   Following recent discussions regarding how regions may play a more co-ordinated and useful role in driving the work of UNA-UK forward, Southern Counties Region owe a debt of gratitude to Margaret, probably for its very existence, and we trust she will continue this work for a long time to come.    

Frances Mildmay, UNA Scotland

  We have nominated Frances (pictured above) in recognition of many years continuous service with the UNA Glasgow Branch, during which time she has given her time and talents to drive the agenda, offered unfailing support to the committee, members and friends, brought in many new members, and mentored countless asylum seekers and their families, many of whom became “her family”.     Frances joined UNA in 1966 on her arrival in Glasgow.  She has been Treasurer, served many years as Secretary and Main Contact, and upon the retirement of Beth McIntyre in 2011 assumed the mantle of Convener.  This role she was well prepared for, having been a prime mover for many years.  Her achievements have been extraordinary: the Peace Garden at the Glasgow Garden Festival 1988 - a two year project, a decade of excellent Model United Nations involving thirteen-year-old secondary students from schools across Glasgow and the West of Scotland, and her annual flag raising ceremony in Glasgow City Chambers introducing huge numbers of ten and eleven-year-old children to the UN through the concept of reconciliation.  Her talents at fundraising for clearing landmines and cluster bombs, and for the work of UNHCR, are legendary.     In recognition also of as many years dedicated to the Scotland Management Committee.  In 1995 Frances took early retirement from a Civil Service career to become Scottish Development Officer, travelling throughout Scotland meeting and inspiring members and encouraging branches.  Serving ex-officio on the Scotland Committee, Frances was the oil that kept UNA Scotland in motion with a full agenda of meetings and activities.  When development funding was withdrawn, she continued in this role in a voluntary capacity.  In May 2006 she was elected Convener for Scotland, an office that she held for over four years.  Since standing down in February 2010, Frances has continued to serve on the Scotland Management Committee as Representative for Glasgow Branch.    

Canon Michael Swindlehurst, Eastern Region

  Eastern Region nominates Michael Swindlehurst, retiring Chair of Saffron Walden Branch, former Chair of UNA Eastern Region and current UNA Eastern Region Treasurer, for this year’s Distinguished Service Award.   Michael Swindlehurst moved to Saffron Walden in 1996 on retirement. He became involved in the Saffron Walden Branch of UNA and became Chairman in 1998. As Chairman, Michael has been an inspirational leader of the Branch and when the Branch was left without a secretary, he took on this role as well as chairman. This included finding speakers, booking venues and producing and distributing publicity leaflets. He has been an excellent committee chairman, and always made sure that participants kept to the point. He is retiring from this post in April 2015.   Michael Swindlehurst was also Chairman of UNA Eastern Region from 2005 to 2010 and steered the Region through some difficult issues such as agreeing the future of a substantial legacy that the region had been left. We appreciated Michael’s wise chairmanship of our Regional Council meetings to which he always brought the refreshments.  After his term as Chairman ended, he volunteered in 2011 to become Eastern Region Treasurer, a post which he still holds.  Michael has also been active in trying to support new or failing branches and he has been a regular supporter of national events such as the UNA policy conferences.