Page 18 - QARANC Vol 16 No 1 2018

16 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Wing Commander PEH Thomas Memorial Award
This award is made to a military student who has excelled in the mentoring and supporting of fellow students. Wing Cdr Thomas had a distinguished career in the Royal Air Force. He was a highly decorated pilot, who amongst many other things taught at RAF Cranwell in the 1950s where he introduced continual assessments as he considered exams unfairly stressful to many students. He also placed great importance on mentoring and supporting his cadets, something which many of them have never forgotten to this day.
This trophy has been presented to the Defence School of Healthcare Education (DSHE) by his daughter so that each year it may be awarded to a student who similarly excels in their support and mentorship of fellow students.
Cpl Benjamin Collier QARANC was nominated for the Wing Commander PEH Thomas Memorial Award 2017. The citation for the award stated that ‘Cpl Collier joined the Department of Healthcare Education within the Faculty of Health at Birmingham City University in January 2014 to commence a three year BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing training. Throughout his training his overall conduct has been exemplary. Cpl Collier is being recognised for his
involvement in improving university life for the LGBT community and for his work with the defence humanist and stammering community.
Whilst undertaking nurse training, Cpl Collier committed himself to his course with a determination to succeed, resulting in him being awarded a First Class BSc Honours degree in adult nursing. In addition to his academic studies he was the BCU LGBT Student Support Officer, working to develop multiple policy changes and taking part in numerous campaigns improving services for the BCU LGBT community. He was also actively involved in the Defence Stammering Network and Defence Humanist Association, and has worked hard to promote the work of these organisations both within the unit and defence wide.
Our congratulations to Ben Collier on this prestigious award. - Ed