Rep and officer awards

Nominations for the 2025–26 Representative and Officer of the Year Awards are now closed.

Members were invited to nominate a representative or officer whose contribution merits recognition for their dedication, professionalism and sustained commitment to supporting colleagues and strengthening the union.

Award process

Judging takes place at the regional level, with one representative and officer selected from each region in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The chosen individuals selected in each area will then be put forward for consideration in the National Representative and Officer of the Year Awards.

Announcement of winners

Regional, Wales and Northern Ireland award recipients will be announced in February 2026 and will receive their awards from their respective Executive bodies.
The national award recipients will be announced at the NEU Annual Conference 2026, where they will be invited to attend and receive their awards in person.

About the awards

Every year, the NEU invites members to nominate NEU reps and officers who deserve to be recognised by the union for their hard work and commitment to building a stronger union and supporting members in the workplace.

The awards are judged at the regional level, and the Regional/Wales/Northern Ireland winners are then put forward for consideration for the National Representative and Officer of the Year awards. A panel of NEU Executive members judges the nominations and selects the national winners.

The NEU invited members to nominate an NEU Representative/Officer who deserves to be recognised by the union for their hard work and commitment. 

These Regional/Wales/Northern Ireland winners are then put forward for consideration for the National Representative and Officer of the Year awards. 

Previous winners

Edel McInerney, NI, wins national officer of the year 2025

Edel, a physics teacher at Campbell College, Belfast, was nominated by the Northern Ireland district for her “unwavering dedication, innovative leadership and passion for advocacy”. As an NEU officer she spearheaded a comprehensive workload survey, campaigned to ensure equity of pay and conditions for support staff, and has organised workshops on issues such as mental health, menopause in the workplace and learning to say no. Edel said: “This award belongs to every educator who has taken a stand and fought for the profession we love. Education should never be treated as an afterthought or a budget line to be cut. It’s the foundation of society. When educators stand together on common goals – whether it’s pay, workload or conditions – we are a force to be reckoned with. This isn’t just a job to me, it’s a mission.” Photo ©Kois Miah

Congratulations to Rachel Ferraby, Leeds, winner of the2025 national representative of the year award

Rachel won a hard-fought campaign against proposed new terms and conditions at Oulton Academy, Leeds, in the summer of 2024. Her strong leadership was critical, said one colleague: “She kept people going when it looked like staff were losing faith.” Rachel’s enthusiastic promotion of the union has seen membership more than double in her time as rep, and she supports NEU members across her region – including standing with sixth form college members on their picket lines. It has been a “rollercoaster” of a year, said Rachel, who is a support staff member: “I became a rep because I believe in the power of the collective voice. Being a workplace rep is the most important role for affecting change in your workplace. If one person stands up for what is right, others will have the courage to follow.” Photo © Kois Miah