A Sutton woman who has been caring for others for 35 years, and the leader of a Mansfield college, were named in the New Year Honours.

Portland Charity care manager Maggie Waring was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of her dedication to the care industry, particularly for helping people with disabilities or social care needs.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cropley, the principal and chief executive of  West Nottinghamshire College — who is also chair of Mansfield Place Board among other high-profile roles — was named a MBE for services to the community of Ashfield and Mansfield.

Andrew, who has led the college since 2019, said he was extremely humbled by the award, which he accepted as part of the “incredible team” at the college.

“While this honour marks an incredible milestone, we are absolutely committed to being even more responsive to our community’s needs,” he added.

“There is still much to do, and I can’t wait for the next chapter.”

Maggie has been at Portland College for more than 20 years, where she is registered manager at Portland Charity.

It said she often gave up her personal time to ensure the happiness and wellbeing of those in her care and that of her staff.

One of her many achievements was the introduction and development of Portland’s Independent Living Service, delivering a residential provision that supports many young people with disabilities to achieve their lifelong dreams of living independently.

Led by Maggie and her ethos of going above and beyond for each and every person, the programme equips residents with the skills, experience, and confidence to transition into independent living post-Portland.

“I am extremely proud to be recognised in this way,” she said.

“I have worked with so many wonderful people over the years, including residents, staff, and partners — and while I have been able to make a difference in their lives, they also make a huge difference to mine.

“I see this award as a wonderful celebration of the fabulous things we have achieved together.”
Portland Charity principal and chief executive Mark Dale added: “We are so proud of Maggie for this wonderful recognition.

“I have worked alongside her for 18 years and her care and dedication are obvious to me and anyone who knows her.

“She always has her residents needs at heart, ensuring they thrive throughout the Independent Living programme, and she is a powerful advocate for them to progress to exciting new destinations after Portland. Anyone who knows Maggie will also know she does not seek recognition, but I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honour.”

***

College leader Andrew Cropley said he has made it his mission to place West Notts at the heart of both Mansfield and Ashfield through partnerships across education, health and business, and investments in new campuses and facilities, which have transformed opportunities for students, apprentices and employers.

He was  appointed chair of Mansfield Place Board – a partnership between the district council and public and private sector organisations – in December 2019, which has subsequently secured a combined £72.3m from the government’s Towns Fund, Levelling-Up, and Long-Term Plan for Towns allocations, bringing major infrastructure projects, regeneration schemes, improved technology, and investments in new jobs and skills.

“I feel proud to be awarded this honour, although it is important to me that everyone understands that I am receiving it as part of an incredible team at West Nottinghamshire College,” he said.

“The credit must go to all those who have worked so hard and creatively to make us the college that our communities need us to be, and to those who are working with us to improve the lives of everyone in Ashfield and Mansfield.

“We have come so far over the last five-and-a-half years, and I hope that the people of both districts, and the employers that operate here, see our college as a real asset.

“The partnerships we’ve built with Nottingham Trent University, Sherwood Forest Hospitals, the wider NHS, local authorities, police and fire service, armed forces, Mansfield Town FC and hundreds of private sector businesses provide a great basis for us to continue to challenge ourselves to do even more.

“The colleagues I am privileged to work with are extremely talented and dedicated to helping our students find positive futures, and partners on the Mansfield Place Board are all determined to seize the chance to create a community full of aspiration and opportunity.

“Whilst this honour marks an incredible milestone, we are absolutely committed to being even more responsive to our community’s needs. There is still much to do, and I can’t wait for the next chapter.

“I am extremely humbled by this award and grateful to my family, friends and colleagues for their fulsome support over the years.”

Under Andrew’s leadership, the college moved out of financial intervention, achieving ‘good’ financial health for four consecutive years. The college was also graded ‘good’ following its latest Ofsted inspection in 2023, with inspectors highlighting areas of outstanding provision and its ‘strong’ contribution to meeting local skills needs.

Other successes include the creation of partnerships with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which have boosted access to higher education and careers in the NHS.

Several of NTU’s higher education programmes have been delivered from its Mansfield hub at the college’s Derby Road campus since 2019 – which made Mansfield a university town for the first time in its history – and together they have created a nursing school on the site, which celebrated its first graduates earlier this month.

Collaboration with Sherwood Forest Hospitals has delivered several Step into the NHS events to promote the various job roles in the health service and the educational routes towards them, while students with additional needs and learners on the T-Level in Health course are undertaking long-term placements at King’s Mill Hospital.

The college’s investments in facilities included opening a dedicated sixth-form campus, adult learning centre, and hub for students with additional needs, all in Mansfield town centre; a new construction training centre at the former Mansfield Brewery building, and the Gene Haas Centre for Advanced Manufacturing at its engineering centre in Sutton.

It also initiated plans for the Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre (ADMC) – Ashfield’s £30m flagship Towns Fund project now being led by Ashfield District Council in partnership with the college, Nottinghamshire County Council and NTU. If approved, the ADMC will be the centrepiece of a dedicated Innovation and Technology Park, driving productivity and bringing more high-skilled jobs to the district.

Meanwhile, the Mansfield Place Board has secured tens of millions of pounds to fund major schemes in the district through successful bids to the government, with several transformational projects either complete, in progress or in the pipeline.

Of these, the £9.1m Warsop Health Hub opened its doors earlier this year, while projects under way include construction of the college’s Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange, redevelopment of Berry Hill Park, and introduction of ‘smart’ parking technology in the town centre.

Prior to joining the further education (FE) sector, Andrew served as a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy for 21 years, latterly as Commanding Officer of the Defence School of Languages. During his 15 years in FE, he has held executive leadership roles at colleges in Sheffield, Warwickshire, Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham, Skipton in North Yorkshire, and now, Mansfield and Ashfield.

Originally from Lowestoft, Suffolk, he is a trained meteorologist and oceanographer, and his hobbies include horse-riding, watching cricket, supporting Norwich City Football Club, and visiting the theatre.