Lauren is making a big impact

Lauren is making a big impact
Lauren (far right) with from left to right, Kasia Slapek, mum Jacqueline Bissett, Monica Medina and Wai Mun Lee

Forth Valley College sports student Lauren Tenn-Mills recorded another personal best recently by making a big impact on an awards judging panel.

At the CEMVO Scotland Ethnic Minority Impact Awards, which took place at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow on Friday 1 November, the second year HND Fitness, Health and Exercise student scooped the Impact in Sport award.

Promising Bo’ness athlete Lauren (18) is currently Scotland’s under-20 number one long-jumper, an elite sprinter and recently spent six weeks at Harvard in the USA, on a sporting and academic training scholarship secured through Who Cares Scotland.

Lauren, who was also nominated for the Youth category award on the night, said: “Collecting the award gave me a great sense of achievement. I want to thank Monica Medina for nominating me for such prestigious awards, and my parents for gifting me with such opportunities that have helped widen my future goals. I would also like to thank Wai and Kasia at the Forth Valley College gym for supporting me through my journey at Forth Valley College and helping me throughout the academic year.”

CEMVO Scotland is a national intermediary organisation and strategic partner of the Scottish Government Equality Unit. Its aim is to build the capacity and sustainability of the ethnic minority (EM) voluntary sector and its communities. It works in areas such as social enterprise support, leadership development and race equality mainstreaming support to the public and third sectors. It delivers tailored support to the sector, and to work strategically with public, statutory, and government agencies to tackle a range of prevalent issues such as race equality, social inclusion, capacity building and civic participation.

Wai Mun Lee, FVC’s Leisure Facilities Co-ordinator, who along with her own athletics coach Gary Manson have helped Lauren add five cm onto her personal best long jump distance over the past year, said: “I am really proud of Lauren, it seems that 2019 has been a very successful year for her. She just keeps on winning. This is a testimony to all her ethics, talent and the effort she puts into her sporting career and it’s a privilege to be part of her journey. I am looking forward to seeing what Lauren’s got to offer for 2020.”

Monica Medina, FVC’s Diversity Coordinator, who nominated Lauren for the award, said: “Lauren’s win at the CEMVO awards was a fitting close to Black History Month celebrations. This recognition of her achievements as an example of excellence, demonstrates that black and ethnic minority people have made, and will continue to make, a positive impact in Scotland. I am inspired by Lauren’s spirit of perseverance and hope her successes ignite a passion for the possibilities in all of us. Dare I say five more centimetres on her long jump PB?”  

 

Lauren Award 5
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Lauren Award 7