The Jack Ovenden Award 2012

This year's Jack Ovenden Award for 'Outstanding Student of the Year' was

sponsored by Recovery Industry Engineering Standards (RIES), this is especially

poignant as Brian Drury of RIES had been a great friend of Jack Ovenden and both

were involved, along with Geoff Gatward, in the creation of the IVR.

The winner of this year's award was Sam Hall of the Mansfield Group. Sam only

joined the Mansfield Group from ISIS Rescue in 2011 and was nominated by Peter

Martin of Peter Martin Support Services.

Candidates for the The Jack Ovenden Award must be nominated by their instructors,

who are then asked to justify and validate their nomination. Only exceptional

students reach the final stage of this prestigious award and the fact that this year

only two nominees where short listed and invited to attend interviews is testament to

this.

Following the AGM both students were interviewed by a panel, which this year

included Ian Leaver from FMG Support, Kieran Rice from A1 Marsden Recovery and

Roger King from CMG Rescue Services.

The other very worthy finalist was Neil Chilvers of Boarhunt who had been

nominated by Matt Ayling of Midhurst Engineering.

On presenting the award Nick Ovenden said; 'The fact that this year only two

students reached the final stage for this award shows the high level of knowledge

and skill required from the students. The IVR would like to congratulate both

candidates and thank the Rescue Recovery Trainers Association (RRTA) and the

panel for continuing to maintain the very highest standards.'