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The shortlist for the Control Room Awards 2025 has officially been announced, honouring the outstanding professionalism, dedication, and compassion of the people working behind the scenes in control rooms across the UK and beyond.
Now in their seventh year, the Control Room Awards remain the only accolades dedicated to the unsung heroes in police, fire, ambulance, and coastguard control rooms, as well as other critical control operations, whose actions save lives and support frontline responders every day. Winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony on 3 July at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Hull.
The 2025 Control Room Awards Judging Panel featured high-profile leaders from the control room sector, including:
- Andy Day, Director of Business Development (Public Safety Group), Sopra Steria
- Jeremy Habberley, BAPCO Trustee
- Becky Tipper, Account Executive – UK Policing, Salesforce
- Ben Hawkins, Former Winner and Control Room Mental Health Champion
- Mike Isherwood, Co-Founder of the Control Room Awards
Judging took place the day after the tragic events in Liverpool, where celebrations turned to horror. This incident underscored the vital role control room professionals play in coordinating fast, effective, and life-saving emergency responses.
“I am absolutely delighted to be back again for the 2025 Control Room Awards, this is such a highlight for me each year. After judging the awards for so long, you’d think it would get easier—but it never does. The level of courage, professionalism and compassion shown in the nominations is always humbling.
“On the eve of judging, we saw the horrifying scenes unfold in Liverpool. A night that should’ve been full of joy became something else entirely. The speed and coordination of the emergency services that night—Police, Fire, Ambulance and other agencies begins in the control room. This incident will have been extremely challenging and serves as another example of how vital our control room professionals are.”
Andy Day, who returned as a long-standing judge and headline sponsor.
The Finalists for the 2025 Control Room Awards are:
Bravery and Courage Award
- Debbie Real – London Fire Brigade
- Annmarie Harper – Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control
- Tom Mander-MacGregor – Kent Police
Community Champion Award
- Jack Boyle – National Ambulance Service of Ireland
- Michael Toward – Durham Constabulary
- Emma Dougal – Northumbria Police
Control Room Ambassador of the Year
- Amy Crackett – Northumbria Police
- Christopher Blackman – South East Coast Ambulance Service
- Courtney Hoare – East of England Ambulance Service
Call Taker of the Year – Sponsored by Salesforce
- Julia Durbin – Avon and Somerset Police
- Paula Jones – London Fire Brigade
- Simon Proctor – North East Ambulance Service
- Lauren Inglis – NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Dispatcher of the Year- Sponsored by Sopra Steria
- Rachel Ness – Humberside Police
- Nicola Smith – Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control
- Aaron Conroy – National Ambulance Service Ireland
- Toni Davies – North East Ambulance Service
John Gilhooly Award
- Keri Drury – East of England Ambulance Service
- Alisatir Strachan – Scottish Ambulance Service
- Gillian Whitfield – Northumbria Police
Leader of the Year
- Russell Cox – Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
- Julia Nixon – Yorkshire Ambulance Service
- Becky Davey – South East Coast Ambulance Service
Lifetime Achievement
- Keith – East of England Ambulance
- Luke Shaw – Humberside Police
- Luke Nebbet – South East Coast Ambulance
Services to the Public
- Helen White – Kent Police
- Jamie Brown – Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control
- Jo-anne Perryman – Kent Police
The British APCO Control Room Innovation Award
- Humber Bridge Control Room Project Team
- The Joint Emergency Services Control Room Team – Anguilla (British Overseas Territory)
- Emma Jepson and Phillip Ainsworth – Humberside Police
Team of the Year Award
- FCIR Learning and Development Team – Kent Police
- C Watch North Team 2 – London Ambulance Service
- Remote Patient Team – Yorkshire Ambulance Service
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