Normally at this time of year we’re eagerly awaiting the results of the annual National Student Housing Awards. But as we all know by now, there’s nothing normal about 2020.

With a global pandemic, lockdowns and universities closing earlier in the year, the National Student Housing Awards – awarded to providers based on the results of the National Student Housing Survey (normally completed by students between February and May), have transformed into the Student Accommodation Hero Awards.

What are the Student Accommodation Hero Awards?

Over the summer, students across the UK and Ireland were asked who they thought had excelled in their accommodation during the COVID-19 crisis. Students responded enthusiastically, making 500+ nominations and recognising those in every area: cleaning, maintenance, reception, security, catering and more.

As a result of the feedback from students during the pandemic, individual staff were nominated by students for an award in 12 categories. We were delighted that a number of Host staff were nominated by our students for a Hero award.

Our Heroes

On the 1^st October 2020, the winners were announced in the first ever Student Accommodation Heroes Award.

The awards were an opportunity for the accommodation sector to celebrate some of the extraordinary work that has been undertaken in the last few months during a time of extreme pressure on students and staff.

We’re proud to announce that Chanelle Tolcher, Customer Service Adviser for Host at St Thomas Court, Plymouth has been crowned winner of the Hero award for Dedication; an award for someone who goes the extra mile and really has a passion for their work.

The student who nominated Chanelle commented; “Chanelle truly went above and beyond her role, and she always brightened my day, even if she didn’t know it. Living away from home can be a hard time for any student, no matter what age, and just seeing a friendly face every time I walked through that door truly made a difference not only to my happiness and mental health, but my overall experience at university.”

On being nominated, Chanelle commented, “I felt overwhelmed as I was not expecting it. I haven’t been with the company long and only started at my property at the beginning of January, so it was nice to know I was having a positive impact on the students. I’ve always believed in going the extra mile.”

A huge congratulations and well done to Chanelle and all other winners and nominees in this year’s Student Accommodation Hero Awards.

We would also like to say a big thank you to all of our staff for working extremely hard during COVID-19. They ensured that the students living with us were kept safe, supported and were provided with the best possible living experience during these difficult times. All our staff are heroes and can be hugely proud of their achievements this year.

To learn more about the National Student Housing Awards and the Student Accommodation Awards, visit studenthousingawards.uk. 

---

Host are proud winners of the UK Best Private Halls Provider 2018 & 2019 in the National Student Housing Awards. You can learn more about Host and view our locations and student accommodation on our website.