WAES Apprentice Aimy Stevens and Edge Hill University win ARA Excellence Awards 2026
Westminster Adult Education Service is celebrating a fantastic double success at the Archives & Records Association (ARA) Excellence Awards 2026, with WAES Apprentice Aimy Stevens and apprenticeship partner Edge Hill University Archive and Special Collections both taking home national awards.
The achievements follow their inclusion on this year’s ARA Excellence Awards shortlist, announced by WAES in July. Read our previous article about the ARA Excellence Awards shortlist.
The winners were announced at the ARA Conference Gala Dinner in Glasgow on 6 August, with the awards celebrating achievement across the archives, records management and information professions. This year, 1,693 votes were cast across the three publicly voted categories.
Aimy Stevens wins New Professional of the Year
WAES is delighted to announce that Aimy Stevens, a Level 7 Archives and Records Management apprentice at Edge Hill University, has been named New Professional of the Year 2026.
Aimy was one of nine nominees in the category, which recognises professionals in the first five years of their career. A total of 1,471 votes were cast, with Aimy receiving the award in recognition of her achievements and contribution to the archives and records management profession.
Aimy’s nomination highlighted her work across a wide range of archive projects, including collections relating to the Hillsborough disaster and the archive of acclaimed filmmaker Terence Davies. Her achievements include cataloguing, digital preservation, public engagement and professional leadership.
Alongside her apprenticeship, Aimy is also involved in a number of initiatives across the profession. She volunteers with Explore Your Archive, works as Communications Officer for The Archive Group (Liverpool City Region’s Archive Network), is a committee member of the ARA Section for New Professionals and contributes to the ARA conference committee.
Edge Hill University wins Recordkeeping Service of the Year
The celebrations continued with Edge Hill University Archive and Special Collections being named Recordkeeping Service of the Year 2026.
The service was shortlisted alongside the University of Leicester Archives and Special Collections and went on to win the public vote, with 1,026 votes cast in the category.
Based in Ormskirk, West Lancashire, Edge Hill University Archive and Special Collections is a relatively young service, established in 2019. In just a few years, the team has significantly expanded the reach and impact of its work, including through major collections, public engagement and partnerships across the archives, higher education and cultural sectors.
Its work includes promoting the Terence Davies Archive through collaborations with organisations including the British Film Institute, Toronto International Film Festival and HOME Manchester, alongside research initiatives exploring the history of women’s teacher training colleges.
A celebration of apprenticeship success
For WAES, the double award success demonstrates the positive impact of apprenticeships in supporting both individual career development and organisations across the sector.
Aimy’s achievement is a fantastic example of how an apprenticeship can provide learners with the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge, practical experience and professional connections while developing their careers.
At the same time, Edge Hill University’s award highlights the important role employers and apprenticeship partners play in developing the next generation of professionals and strengthening the wider archives and records management sector.
WAES is incredibly proud to see Aimy recognised as New Professional of the Year and delighted to celebrate the success of Edge Hill University Archive and Special Collections.
Find out more
To find out more about Aimy’s award and her nomination, visit the Archives & Records Association profile for Aimy Stevens.
For full details of the 2026 ARA Excellence Awards winners, visit the Archives & Records Association winners announcement.
Interested in working with us or finding out more about apprenticeships?
Whether you’re an organisation looking to partner with WAES to support an apprentice, or you’re interested in starting an apprenticeship yourself, find out more on our Apprenticeships page.
