The local Junior Chamber International swept up seven awards at the JCI UK National Convention 2015 hosted in Barnsley this weekend.

JCI Sheffield, a not-for-profit organisation, took home awards for Most Outstanding Local Organisation, Most Outstanding Member in the UK, Most outstanding Local Regular Publication, Best Inter-Organisation Collaboration Project, Best local UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Project. 

Not only that, for the third year in a row the chamber won the accolade of Most Outstand Member in the UK which was awarded to Neal Stirk, Community Director and IT consultant at IT Resolve. Other individual members of the chamber were recognized for their achievements with Most Outstanding Local President going to Mark Smith, National Extempore Champion going to Stephanie Smith and Amy Melody, Mark Smith of  JCI Sheffield and Charlotte Scothern of JCI Rotherham being named the National Debating Champions. 

Mark Smith, who also works for charity Safe@Last, says: “I am thrilled with all the awards and recognition JCI Sheffield and our members received at the National Awards ceremony. 

“This is testament to everyone’s hard work over the last year in pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and the incredible hard work they’ve put in to be better, learn new skills and make a positive impact on the local community. 

I asked our members this year to play their part to 'be the change' and I could not have asked more from our members.  Not only did our accolades include the most outstanding member award for Neal Stirk, we were also recognised as the most outstanding chamber in the UK.”

The event, hosted by JCI Barnsley, also saw JCI Sheffield past president Dan Senter awarded Senatorship for his dedication to the organisation. Senatorship within JCI is a huge honor that confers life membership to the organisation. With the honor being a complete surprise to Dan the room gave a standing ovation in congratulations. 

Junior Chamber International is a global non profit organisation that provides development opportunities that empower young active citizens to create positive change. This is through networking, training, social events, community projects and more. The organisation will be celebrating it’s 100th year in 2015 which was founded in 1915 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. 

For further information, visit www.jcisheffield.org.uk or email Mark Smith at mark.smith@jcisheffield.org.uk

To find out more about JCI Sheffield, please visit http://www.jcisheffield.org.uk/