The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly has officially announced the four finalists for the Combating Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Award.
Sponsored for the fourth consecutive year by Commissioner Alison Hernandez, this category is part of the West Country Women’s Awards 2025. It celebrates those who go above and beyond to ensure that women and girls can live their lives free from fear and abuse.
The 2025 Finalists:
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Sue Penna (Rock Pool): A survivor and pioneer with 30 years in the sector. Sue founded Rock Pool in Brixham, which has trained thousands of practitioners in trauma-informed care. She created the first Domestic Abuse Recovery Toolkit to address coercion and control.
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Rebecca Hewitt (Teignbridge District Council): Over her 28-year career, Rebecca has secured over £300,000 in funding to challenge misogyny and improve community safety. She led the Let’s Talk programme, engaging nearly 9,000 parents to help safeguard young people.
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Lucy Rhodes (Space Youth Services): Lucy developed the Is This Okay? intervention programme, reaching hundreds of students across 19 secondary schools. Her work directly uses the lived experiences of young women to improve the safety of public spaces, pubs, and clubs.
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Mel Sevieri (Plymouth Domestic Abuse Service): A survivor and activist who revived Plymouth’s Reclaim the Night march. Despite living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Mel has raised over £10,000 for charities and spoken to thousands of young people about ending sexism and abuse.
A Message from the Commissioner
“It was extremely difficult choosing our four finalists because the calibre of nominees was so high this year. No woman should have to live their lives in fear of becoming a victim.” — Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner.
The winners will be announced at the Grand Final Gala Dinner on November 28 at the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth. We want to say a profound thank you to these finalists for their tireless work in making our region a safer, more supportive place for everyone.
Read the full story on the OPCC website: Inspiring Combating VAWG Award Finalists Revealed
