This year’s UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) Award for Inspiration was presented to Louise Wilkinson, Training Manager at the Oxfordshire-based Child Brain Injury Trust. The Award was presented at the 4th UKABIF Annual Conference 2012 which took place this month in Birmingham.
Louise won the Award because of her awareness raising work on behalf of young offenders affected by Acquired Brain Injury, which also includes setting up the Criminal Justice and Acquired Brain Injury Interest Group (CJABIIG). The CJABIIG was established in January 2011 as a consortium of representative groups spanning public, private and third sector organisations.
Introducing the Award, Professor Michael Barnes, UKABIF Chair said: “Despite her day job at the Child Brain Injury Trust, Louise has been inspirational through her efforts, determination and dedication to running workshops for youth justice professionals to raise awareness of the significant number of children and young people in the youth justice system with an undiagnosed Acquired Brain Injury. This also planted the seed for what was to become the CJABIIG, with Louise being not only one of the founding members, but providing the secretariat, chairing the meetings and organising the CJABIIGs first conference”.
The Stephen McAleese Award for Inspiration is for an individual in the field of ABI and was presented by John and Susan McAleese.
Commenting on the Award, Louise said: “I’m very pleased to have received this Award. The CJABIIG has matured to be a powerful lobby group, driving forward the issue of Acquired Brain Injury and offending across Government. Recently we’ve managed to procure the services of Lord Ramsbotham as the new Chair of the CJABIIG which further strengthens our influence and reach within Government – the works goes on”.
Press Release Submitted by UKABIF
