Winners of the 2024 network, volunteer and influencer of the year awards

To help celebrate the work of some of our most active influencers, volunteers and community builders, we asked for your nominations for the recognition awards.

After receiving over 60 different nominees across three categories, the judging panel had a tough but rewarding time picking the winners, awarding commendations and settling on their final choices.

CSP member engagement campaigns manager Rebecca Stiffell, who acted as chair of the judging panel, said:

It was great to hear about and celebrate all of the amazing things members and other physiotherapy advocates are achieving on behalf of physiotherapy

The overall winners and the highly commended and commended nominees for each category are listed below:

Influencer of the year

Winner - Donna Murphy

Donna received her award in recognition of how she influenced a major local decision around changes to community beds in Mid & South Essex.

Donna and her team were advised of changes being proposed by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) which would significantly affect her team and patients.

She felt that the value of physiotherapy in intermediate care was not understood by local decision makers and was determined to ensure that this was changed. 

Donna worked hard to respond to the consultation, with the aim of highlighting the value of good intermediate care for patients acting as an advocate for both their service and patients. Without Donna’s actions, the ICB simply would not have heard the physiotherapy profession’s voice when considering the changes to the services.

Although the consultation results are still to be determined, Donna gave it her all to ensure that she influenced the decision.

Also shortlisted:

Commended

• Dr Agnieszka Lewko

Volunteer of the year

Winner - Stephanie Land

Steph, who received the Volunteer of the year award, was previously Chair of the CSP’s LGBTQIA+ network.

Over the past year, she has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, courage, and determination, navigating the network through challenges while tirelessly supporting the LGBTQIA+ community within the physiotherapy profession.

Steph’s leadership has been instrumental in fostering a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ individuals within the profession, advocating for their rights, and amplifying their voices.

She has also taken on many other volunteer roles at the CSP, including being a member of the EDB committee and leading a motion at the TUC LGBTQIA+ conference. 

Also shortlisted:

Highly Commended 

• Ibidayo Orolade, Odirachukwu Ahanonu  and Emelie Anekwu

Commended

• Lisa Burrows 

Network of the year

Winner - CSP London regional network

The London regional network has made significant progress in delivering engagement opportunities for CSP members in the London region after a period of inactivity.

The network now provides a strategic approach to engage with members on topics of interest that matter the most to them. They have raised the profile of the network through regular contact with their members using social media and member bulletins.

They are a network which truly reflects what it means to be ‘member led’.

Also shortlisted:

Highly commended

• CSP East of England regional network
• CSP Equality Reps

Commended

• CSP BAME network
• Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Vestibular Rehabilitation (ACPIVR)

How to get more involved yourself

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering, or supporting physiotherapy, see our Get Involved section.

Other opportunities to recognise CSP members

As well as the recognition awards, we also run other annual schemes to thank and recognise members for their work, including ‘Commendations’, ‘CSP Rep of the Year’ and the ‘CSP professional awards’.

Watch out for announcements on when these are open for nominations.