ACCA has announced the winner of its Public Sector Advocacy Awards in the UK. These awards recognise members who have acted as powerful advocates for ACCA and the accountancy profession, and made a real difference in their workplace and their communities, including working to nurture and encourage the next generation of talent.
Winifred Sarbah FCCA, a financial accountant in primary care with the NHS, won the award in the UK for her work in promoting the advantages of a career in accountancy, particularly among young people who see themselves as having limited options.
‘It doesn’t matter where you start; you can change your path’
Her work as an advocate springs directly from her own experiences as a youngster in London. ‘I knew I would have to work hard because of my disadvantaged background and the challenges I may face,’ she says. ‘My experience shows that it doesn’t matter where you start; you can change your path.’
Working with disadvantaged groups of young people from some of the poorest performing schools in Lambeth, as well as those with special needs, Winifred has successfully promoted ACCA as an accessible career path, inviting students to shadow her at work and helping young people break the cycle of poverty.
Life changing
Studying with the ACCA, she says, drastically changed her life and this led her to becoming an advocate.
‘It has given me a platform for other opportunities, connected me with a larger community and opened endless doors for me,’ she says. ‘I would not have pursued my dreams without it, and it has opened up opportunities I might not have considered. I believe ACCA offers a great pathway to social mobility and is an accountancy body with admirable values.
‘I love my profession so much; I’m always happy’
‘I’m very proud of my ACCA skills and the strong ethical principles that we show. I love my profession so much; I’m always happy. So, I wanted to do something for ACCA.’
Winifred, who has worked in a large primary care practice in south London since 2004, says her role is demanding but fulfilling. ‘Primary care is going through the biggest change it has seen since the NHS was set up in 1948 but I’m ready for the challenge, thanks to the skills and experience ACCA has given me,’ she says.
This year’s winners
The overall winner of this year’s Public Sector Advocacy Awards is Caroline McNulty. Read her story and watch the video where she shares what the award means to her.
The other country winners for members in the public sector are:
- Canada: Syed Imran Zia FCCA, Fraser Port Authority, Vancouver
- China: Relinda Rui Zhang FCCA, Shouyi Healthcare Group, Beijing
- Nigeria: Haruna Yarima Abdullahi FCCA, Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service
- US: Cheryl Clarke FCCA, United Nations Resident Audit Office, Kuwait
‘I love working in the public sector, and seeing the difference that we make in the community. This award is the icing on the cake and is for all my colleagues in the NHS.’
Commitment and pride
Speaking about this year’s winners, Anthony Harbinson FCCA, one of the judges, chair of ACCA’s Global Forum for the Public Sector and a former ACCA president, says: ‘What is clear from our winners is that each of them is fiercely proud of their ACCA qualification and the opportunities that it has brought to them.
‘The range of advocacy work that our winners have exhibited, and their commitment to promoting ACCA around the globe, is inspiring and reflects the pride that they feel in their membership. But what is also striking is the personal fulfilment that they gain from their role as advocates. We hope that their experience will encourage others to follow in their path.’
