BAPCO Awards

Gareth Wilkinson Memorial Award

It was in spring 2004, in the days when the annual BAPCO event was held at the Islington Business Design centre, that past British APCO President, Gareth Wilkinson, a senior officer with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue service, and a leading light in the North West for British APCO, was tragically taken from us all too soon.  In late 2004, the British ACPO Executive Committee put in place a policy document outlining the setting up of the Gareth Wilkinson Memorial Award with the objective of commemorating Gareth and all that he did for British APCO.  The Aim of the award is to acknowledge the outstanding contribution and meritorious service given by an individual BAPCO member to enable the Association to achieve its Purpose – March 2023 was only the third time that the award has been presented.

• April 2005, London:  Duncan Swan

• April 2008, London: Colin Evans

• March 2023, Coventry: Tony Bracey

Ian Thompson Bursary Award

British APCO announced the formal launch of the inaugural Ian Thompson Bursary at the Newcastle event in November 2022. Recognition and celebration of innovation and success, as both individuals and as team members, should be par for the course of being a British APCO member.  It is an important ingredient for galvanising a professional community spirit amongst the Association. Our former Chief Executive Ian Thompson, who passed away in 2020, was a great advocate for education and developing young talent within the public safety industry. During Ian’s tenure, it was often discussed how we should support the development of these individuals while at the same time promoting British APCO and furthering its charitable objectives.  The Board have been considering an award in Ian’s name for some time and were delighted to have announced the formal launch of the award. 

The award is open to applicants of all ages in the first 2 or 3 years of working or studying in the field of critical communications in public safety within the UK and Ireland; they could have a role in a user organisation, employed by a supplier or in full time studies. The first winners of the award were announced in Coventry in March 2023 and presented by Ian's Thompson's wife Amanda.​

• James Searle – User & Assurance Manager, NHS Ambulance Radio Programme
• Oliver Horrell – Inside Sales Account Manager, Zebra Technologies
• Amy Finch – Digital Marketing Manager, Sepura
• Conner Fearn – Consultant, Grayce/Mason Advisory

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(L to R) John Anthony, Oliver Horrell, Conner Fearn, Amy Finch, James Searle, Amanda Thompson

Ian thompson Bursary Recipients announced for 2024

The recipients for the 2024 Ian Thompson bursary were announced during the annual British APCO dinner. Find out more about each recipient below:

Georgie Green

As PMO Analyst supporting the Mobile Data & Vehicle Solution (MDVS) Programme, Georgie provides support to all the English & Welsh NHS Ambulance Service Trusts.  She also oversees the delivery of 40+ Mental Health Response Vehicles into several English Ambulance Trusts ensuring they are fully kitted out with Comms equipment before being put into service.

Georgie wants to use the bursary to find out how other parts of the world utilise technology across their emergency services and increase her technical knowledge. She then plans to use this to strengthen her support and input back into the ARP Team.  She is also excited to share the knowledge and information from this opportunity with newer members of the ARP Team as they start their careers with the Programme.

“I’m absolutely thrilled, and very overwhelmed to be a recipient of the Ian Thompson Bursary Award for 2024. I’m 6 years into my career in the NHS with the Ambulance Radio Programme so as I continue to find my feet and develop in my PMO Analyst role, this opportunity comes at a great time. I’m incredibly excited and want to thank all who considered my application at BAPCO.”

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Thomas Morgan

Tom, a Customer Support Manager working at Motorola Solutions has responsibility for the end-to-end customer relationship between Motorola, Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in relation to their use of the Airwave network.  He plans to use the bursary to develop his knowledge in the critical communications sector, particularly in regard to a subject close to his heart, multi-agency communication during critical incidents.  As a former Police Firearms Officer on Merseyside, he has an operational understanding of how UK police services communicate with partner agencies during critical incidents. The bursary will allow him to research and understand the challenges agencies in other jurisdictions face when communicating with each other - with the hope of sharing his findings and proven best practices to help drive improvement in multi-agency communication here in the UK.

“I’m honoured to have been selected as one of this year’s recipients of the Ian Thompson Bursary. The opportunity to develop my knowledge of the mission-critical communications sector will be invaluable to my development within my current role and my future career.” 

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Jonathan Sinclair - Inclutech

Jonny leads the design and development teams within Belfast SME, Inclutech, which research citizen-centric needs and emerging technologies to deliver next-generation critical communications solutions. He works closely with public safety agencies to transform how mission-critical data is exchanged during high-risk, time-sensitive incidents involving multiple responding organisations.

He plans to use the bursary to study innovations in public safety communication technology that will help remove barriers and accelerate emergency response.

Jonny’s key focus is on advancing non-verbal and digital communication technologies to aid emergency services and he proposes exploring the integration of automation, AI, and advanced data analytics to refine emergency call triage and dispatch processes.

He aims to provide actionable insights and recommendations for UK agencies to enhance their communication infrastructure, prioritising efficiency, accessibility, and swift emergency responses for the wider community."

"Being honoured with the Ian Thompson Bursary Award 2024 is both an honour and a privilege. It reflects my dedication to the field of critical communications and aligns with Ian Thompson's legacy of fostering education and talent. This award offers a unique opportunity to learn and share insights at an international level, thanks to the support for attending significant events. The chance to present findings, contribute to the BAPCO Journal, and engage in mentorship underlines the commitment to professional growth and community engagement within British APCO. I am deeply grateful for this recognition and excited to use this opportunity to further our collective mission in public safety communications, honouring Ian Thompson's enduring impact on the field."

View the news article here.

Ian Thompson Bursary Award 2025

Details will be announced soon!