COVENTRY University is one of only 25 organisations to receive a UK Business Hero title for work in the city and region in response to Covid-19.
The UK Business Heroes campaign, backed by Sophie, Countess of Wessex and the British Chambers of Commerce, was created to recognise the incredible work undertaken by UK businesses to support the local community during 2020.
The university was nominated for the award by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce due to the impact its Covid-19 response on a local, national and global scale.
Not only did the university donate PPE equipment but dozens of healthcare students volunteered to help the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire on the front line. Thousands of pounds was also raised to support the most in need and put in place community initiatives such as Cooking Connections Coventry.
And in Rwanda a temporary field hospital was established as the result of research from an existing project focused on increasing access to sustainable energy to displaced refugees.
Longer term, research into the economic impact of the pandemic is helping to ensure the future of creative freelancers, while a new scheme has been launched to help leaders of small businesses in the West Midlands and beyond survive and thrive as they deal with the impact of the pandemic.
Paul Noon Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Enterprise & Innovation said: “We are thrilled to have been nominated and received the UK Business Heroes stamp. It is a token of trust in the work the group has undertaken and still does in the city and the region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As an organisation, we are proud of the impact we make in supporting the communities surrounding all of our campuses, not only in Coventry but also in Scarborough and London.”
