Hemel Hempstead duo honoured at the 2026 Rumble Awards
Two Dacorum residents were among fourteen people from across Hertfordshire celebrated at this year's awards.
Two people from Hemel Hempstead were celebrated at this year's Rumble Awards (Hertfordshire's annual Learning Disability Personality of the Year Awards), held at Robertson House in Stevenage on Thursday 28 May.
The Rumble Awards are designed, delivered and performed by people with learning disabilities. This year's theme was the seaside, and the event featured original performances, art and decorations created by people at learning disability services from across the county.
The event was hosted by Neil Hoskin, a Hertfordshire County Council staff member and expert with lived experience of learning disabilities.
The Rumble Awards are organised by Pioneer Approaches, a Hertfordshire-based team made up mostly of neurodivergent people, including autistic people and those with ADHD or learning disabilities. Their workshops, training and creative programmes are designed and delivered by and with neurodivergent people.
The Dacorum winners were:
Margaret Smith - Margaret lives in Hemel Hempstead and attends the day service, where she dances every Thursday in the Chance to Dance group. She also helps lead 'Move with Margaret', MacIntyre Care's online sessions, picking the music, making up the moves, and inspiring others to join in. She also stopped smoking after twenty years. She won the Healthy Living Award.
Jenny Bridger - Jenny lives in Hemel Hempstead with her two cats. Her kindness, her love of life and her laugh light up every room. Jenny has been through hard times herself, but gives so much of her time to help others. She created her own training sessions about mental ill-health and delivers them herself, helping professionals support people better. She won the Leading Light Award.
Helen Maneuf, Hertfordshire County Council Executive Director for Adult Care Services, said: “The Rumble Awards are a wonderful opportunity for people to come together and celebrate everything that's positive about people - the spirit of kindness, joyfulness, and the impact we all have on other people. Congratulations to all of this year's winners.”