This news story was updated on 15 May 2025, to reflect that the Wellbeing Festival was announced runner up in the UHR awards.
The University’s Wellbeing and Organisational Development (OD) team, which is part of our HR team, has been named runner up in a major national award for last year’s Wellbeing Festival. The Universities Human Resources (UHR) Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate creativity and success, showcasing how people professionals in UK universities enhance organisational culture and performance.
Shortlisted in the Wellbeing category, the Wellbeing and OD team has been recognised for the incredible effort they collectively made to design and deliver the staff Wellbeing Festival in July 2024. Curated on a minimal budget, the festival was designed to elevate the mental, physical, and financial wellbeing of all staff at Sussex. The team put together a line-up of inspirational speakers, invigorating fitness activities, learning opportunities, and much more. Feedback showed that staff felt refreshed, rejuvenated and connected with each other after the festival, and even those who couldn’t attend really felt an increased sense of the importance the University places on their wellbeing.
Cathy McDonnell, Associate Director for Culture, Organisational Development & Wellbeing said: “This was the first staff event of its kind at Sussex, and the team pioneered it through their incredible creativity and tenacity and their sheer force of will. Because the budget was small, offers of support, leveraged by the team, were central to its huge success. I am incredibly proud of my team and thankful to the many others across the community who helped us to deliver the festival line up. Being shortlisted in these prestigious awards is a wonderful achievement.”
Colin Shipp, Executive Director of HR said: “The Wellbeing Festival was a great success and a demonstration of what our resourceful and talented colleagues can achieve by working together and with the support of the community. The benefits of the festival are still being felt months after the event, with colleagues telling me that they came away from the day with new friends, better connections with their colleagues and feeling more appreciated by the University. Well done to the team on this very richly deserved place on the UHR Awards shortlist.”