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Sheffield Children’s Star Awards 2025 – meet our winners!
A glittering night amongst the stars!
On Friday 19 September, Sheffield Children’s came together to celebrate the outstanding contributions that individuals and teams across our many sites make towards supporting children, young people, and families across South Yorkshire and beyond.
Hosted by BBC Radio Sheffield’s Ellie Colton, this year’s Sheffield Children’s Star Awards were a fabulous opportunity to recognise the innovation, expertise and amazing dedication of individuals and teams across Sheffield Children’s to achieving our singular goal of providing a healthier future for children and young people.
Meet your winners!
We’re so proud of the amazing staff and teams across Sheffield Children’s, who all play a huge role in our shared goal of delivering a healthier future for children and young people.
After the event, we spoke to a few of them to hear what they had to say on their special night:
Ward 5
Starting off with our amazing Children’s Star team winners, Ward 5. Ward 5 is the dedicated neurosciences ward at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and they were nominated based on their ability to support.
Our Children’s Star Award is nominated for by the patients and families that we see year-round at Sheffield Children’s. This team were nominated by Olivia and her mum Becca, who highlighted the safe, kind and outstanding care that they received from the entire team.
Becca said: “Every person that we came across was just phenomenal in the care that they gave us, from the cleaners who would pop into the room to have a chat with us to the healthcare workers who would tell us stories.”
The Ward 5 team said: “We wouldn’t work anywhere else – it’s like a family.”
MRI team
The MRI team were our first winners of the night, winning the Improving Lives Award. This award was created to recognise teams and individuals who have made a real difference to patients, families, or colleagues.
The amazing MRI team created our Sensory Saturday sessions, which have supported over fifty children with additional needs to have MRI scans without the use of general anaesthetic. These sessions were created to provide a calmer environment where every detail is thought of – from toys, beanbags and films to longer appointment slots, reassurance for families, and endless encouragement.
This work is a shining example of compassion, inclusion and excellence – truly improving lives for children, young people and their families. The MRI Team said: “We all work together as a team to do the best we can for our patients. The patients are at the centre of everything we do.”
Ruby Lodge
Team winners of our Compassionate Care Award, Ruby Lodge were recognised for their incredible kindness and empathy. Ruby Lodge is an inpatient unit for children and young people with learning disabilities, who have severe and complex mental health and behavioural problems.
According to their nomination, The Ruby Lodge team exemplifies compassion in everything they do. Whether supporting individuals in vulnerable moments or lifting up colleagues, they always act with patience, understanding and deep respect for each person’s unique needs and circumstances.
The team at Ruby Lodge said: “Sheffield Children’s is the best place to work because everyone is so supportive of one another. There is such an amazing team spirit – it’s a pleasure to come to work every day.”
Jenny Featherstone
Described in her nomination statement as an inspiration for all her team, Jenny embodies all our trust values. She leads with compassion, creating an inspirational culture of care in her teams.
Jenny said: “I have worked at Sheffield Children’s for 21 years and it’s like a family. It’s such a special place, where you feel connected to everyone and are a part of something truly special.”
James Lines
James’ leadership during challenging projects, like the complete refurbishment and extension of ward six, while colleagues continued caring for children, has been extraordinary. His commitment, positivity and resilience make him a shining example of what it means to lead with both heart and professionalism.
James Lines commented: “It’s the people that make it what it is – sensational.”
The Children’s Star Award
Amongst the range of awards presented, which included those highlighting each of Sheffield Children’s core values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, was the coveted Children’s Star Award. This award includes nominations exclusively made by the children, young people and families who visit us.
This year, we heard from Becca and Olivia, who spoke all about their experience at Sheffield Children’s after Olivia was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation – a condition where the lower part of the brain pushes down into the spinal canal. After her symptoms grew worse, she was admitted to an inpatient ward at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, where she met this year’s individual Children’s Star Winner – Laura Linley.
Becca, Olivia’s mum, said: “We were down the end of the corridor, and we knew when she had started her shift because we could just hear her singing.”
‘It was absolutely incredible to just hear [Olivia] laugh when I potentially didn’t know whether she was going to make it. It was extraordinary that [Laura] was able to get that out of her, and I can’t thank her enough for that.”
Thanks to the outstanding care delivered by Laura during her time as an inpatient at Sheffield Children’s, Olivia has now altered her career plans for the future – now wanting to pursue a career in healthcare.
To the surprise of everybody in the room, Becca and Olivia returned to announce the winner of the team award, highlighting the safe, kind and outstanding care delivered by the entire team working on Ward 5, the dedicated neurosciences Ward at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Becca said: “Every person that we came across was just phenomenal in the care that they gave us, from the cleaners who would pop into the room to have a chat with us to the healthcare workers who would tell us stories.”
Congratulations to Laura, the Ward 5 team, and all of our winners that were announced during the evening! You can see a full list of our winners and highly commended nominees below:
Star Awards 2025 – Winners and Highly Commended individuals
Brilliant Role Model Award
- Individual Winner – James Lines
- Individual Highly Commended – Liza Shaw and Bradley Marsden
- Team Highly Commended – Clinical Nurse Educators
Belonging and Respect Award
- Individual Winner – Helen Jones
- Individual Highly Commended – Shamim Khan
Children’s Star Award
- Individual Winner – Laura Linley
- Individual Highly Commended – Rob Morton
- Team Winner – Ward 5
- Team Highly Commended – NSU
Compassionate Care Award
- Individual Winner – Jenny Featherstone
- Individual Highly Commended – Vicky Grayson
- Team Winner – Ruby Lodge
- Team Highly Commended – Embrace Transport Team
- Team Highly Commended – Ward 1
Improving Lives Award
- Individual Winner – Tracy Dyson
- Individual Winner – Claire Mizler
- Team Winner – MRI Team
- Team Highly Commended – LTV Inpatient Unit
Research Award
- Individual Winner – Bee O’Shea
- Individual Highly Commended – Charlotte Elder
- Team Highly Commended – Gastroenterology IBD Research Team
Innovation Award
- Individual Winner – Tessa Boyd
- Individual Highly Commended – David Rose
- Team Winner – Sapphire Lodge
- Team Highly Commended – Ward 3
Unsung Hero
- Individual Winner – Cath Davies
- Individual Highly Commended – Geraldine Sayers
- Team Winner – Neonatal ODN Admin Team
- Team Highly Commended – Plaster Room (Outpatients Department)
Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity Hospital of the Year
- Winner – Cystic Fibrosis unit
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