Princess Royal Training Awards
Posted by Laura Butlin 03rd December 2025 News
Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins
REACT has been recognised with a Princess Royal Training Award, a national benchmark of excellence for organisations delivering outstanding training that creates real impact for people and society.
The award was presented at Fishmongers’ Hall in London on 2 December, where Responder and former Training Manager Jill Hamlin, Training Lead Lee Davis, and Responder Sarah Reed collected the accolade on behalf of the organisation.
This recognition comes in a milestone year, as both REACT and the Princess Royal Training Awards celebrate their 10th anniversaries.
A decade of building world-class training for volunteers
REACT’s UK Operations Course, the organisation’s flagship training programme, was recognised by the judging panel for the strength of its curriculum, its operational relevance, and the impact it has on volunteers and the communities they serve.
Toby Wicks, CEO of REACT, said:
“The Princess Royal Training Awards are the benchmark for excellence in training, so I’m thrilled that REACT has been recognised in this way. So many in our team have invested their passion, skill, and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears into building our training programmes over the last ten years. This award belongs to them.
And because our training and operations are mutually reinforcing, it also highlights our commitment to delivering the highest quality support to communities hit by sudden-onset crises. At a time when humanitarian needs are rising so sharply, this recognition drives us to redouble our efforts for those who are hard to reach and most vulnerable."
Jill Hamlin being presented the award by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
Reflecting on the achievement, Jill Hamlin, who accepted the award from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, said:
“It’s been an incredible journey to reach the high standards required by the Princess Royal Training Award, but this accolade highlights the incredible professionalism, effectiveness and outstanding quality of REACT training.
Gathering the evidence to demonstrate our impact highlighted the amazing breadth of positive change achieved by those attending and delivering the training — and subsequently in the communities they support at times of crisis. A truly inspiring achievement by truly inspiring volunteers.”
Recognising diligence, skill, and a culture of continuous improvement
Lee Davis, who attended the ceremony alongside Jill and Sarah, added:
“It was a huge privilege to represent my fellow Responders and REACT. As an organisation we have given our training serious attention to ensure we give volunteers the best possible skill set to enable success. This award recognises that attention, diligence, and success.”
The Princess Royal Training Awards, delivered by the City & Guilds Foundation, celebrate outstanding training that enables people to thrive - regardless of organisation size, sector, or location.
A milestone moment for a volunteer-powered organisation
For REACT, the award marks a decade of building, refining and delivering training rooted in professionalism, partnership, and operational readiness. It reflects the organisation’s belief that world-class training not only strengthens volunteer capability but directly enhances humanitarian outcomes for people affected by disaster.
REACT will continue developing its training pathways in 2026, with a focus on responder development, specialist modules, and strengthening its operational surge capacity.