High Sheriff of Lancashire’s Young Citizen of the Year Awards to take place virtually thanks to UCLan events student

19 March 2021

UCLan student Jennifer ensures prestigious event will still go ahead despite restrictions

An events management student from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is lending her skills to the High Sheriff of Lancashire to ensure an annual community celebration can still go ahead.

First year student Jennifer McGrath has been tasked with organising a virtual ceremony for the High Sheriff of Lancashire’s Young Citizen of the Year Awards, an event that takes place every year to celebrate young people from the county who have done something selfless to help their local neighbourhood, an individual, family member or local organisation.

Not wanting to let pandemic restrictions get in the way, Lancashire Partnership Against Crime (LANPAC), which organises the awards ceremony, contacted UCLan’s student events team EntrEvents to help them take the occasion online.

EntrEvents is a booking service run by UCLan events management students to ensure they gain practical, hands-on experience of organising real events throughout their studies.

"This is the largest event I’ve organised so far with around 200 guests expected to attend. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with LANPAC to make sure that even though the ceremony is virtual, it will still have a great atmosphere and buzz about it ... I’ve really loved having the autonomy to be creative."

Event organiser and UCLan student Jennifer McGrath

Jennifer has been liaising with LANPAC manager Al Yusuf for the last two months to organise the awards ceremony.

He said: “The High Sheriff of Lancashire’s Young Citizen Awards ceremony is a prestigious event and this year it has been a privilege for LANPAC to work closely with EntrEvents at UCLan.

“Considering the circumstances, EntrEvents has managed to organise a virtual awards ceremony for over 200 participants in a short period, which is an excellent achievement. The dedication, commitment and professionalism shown by EntrEvents is admirable; from organising meetings, preparing a comprehensive event proposal, contract, graphics and regular contact with the LANPAC team.

“EntrEvents at UCLan has done a fabulous job in organising the awards ceremony and it’s been a pleasure to work with them. Jennifer was very helpful and much appreciated.”

"The dedication, commitment and professionalism shown by EntrEvents is admirable; from organising meetings, preparing a comprehensive event proposal, contract, graphics and regular contact with the LANPAC team."

Lancashire Partnership Against Crime manager Al Yusuf

This year’s High Sheriff of Lancashire’s Young Citizen Award Ceremony will, for the first time, take place virtually on Wednesday 24 March.

Catherine Penny, High Sheriff of Lancashire, added: “I’m so pleased that the awards ceremony can still take place in the current difficult circumstances we all face.

"It’s more important than ever that we celebrate and recognise the amazing work young people from Lancashire do and I want to thank the award sponsors UCLan, EntrEvents and particularly Jennifer McGrath for helping to make it happen.”

19 March 2021