Kirsty Robinson gifted £3,000 Barbara Cox bursary

Kirsty Robinson, business development manager at Stewart Signs, has been granted the Barbara Cox bursary after 2023 winner Sara Sloman decided to gift her £3,000 prize.

In her role at Stewart Signs, Robinson assists commercial fleets in identifying optimal environmental livery solutions for both current and future needs.

"I am thrilled and deeply honoured to be the recipient of the bursary," Robinson said. "The bursary award opens an exciting opportunity for me to expand my expertise in commercial sustainability. After thorough research, I am convinced that enrolling in The Oxford University's course on 'The Future of Sustainable Business: Enterprise and the Environment' will provide the necessary guidance and intellectual insights, enabling both myself and Stewart Signs to be at the forefront of environmentally conscious livery solutions, production practices, and guidance."

Robinson has allocated a portion of the bursary towards obtaining a St. John Ambulance Level 3 certification in Mental Health: Workplace First Aider.

"Recognising the challenges that life and work can pose to mental health, I am committed to using this training to support my colleagues and network, offering guidance to mitigate and, ideally, prevent mental health issues," she said.

"I am sincerely grateful to Sara for her generosity, and I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to share my newly acquired skills in the near future."

Sloman, chief strategy officer at electric vehicle (EV) fintech business Paythru and director of The EV Café, said: “I was honoured to be awarded the coveted Barbara Cox Woman of the Year award. Part of this process was the wonderful opportunity to receive a bursary intended to further my career through a course or progressive self-development in recognition of my achievements and accomplishments to date.

“I celebrate a tireless dedication to sustainable transport, Environmental, Social Governance (ESG), mentoring in the workplace and charitable causes. Overcoming adversity and embracing equity are prevalent themes behind my motivation, but I remain acutely aware that we are facing a skills gap in our electric vehicle industry. It is with this in mind, that I pledged to pay my bursary forward.”

Sloman used the bursary to complete a 10-week training course on leadership and the underpinning factors that build business resilience but then pledged to pay her experience and knowledge forward.

Sam Panayides, Cox Automotive sales director and chair of Women with Drive, the initiative behind the Barbara Cox Award, said:  "Sara's overwhelming urge to pay it forward says everything you need to know about her. She's a force for good and so deserving of the Barbara Cox Woman of the Year accolade. Gifting her bursary prize to help someone else make great strides in automotive is a selfless act and has the potential to change someone's career trajectory."