The Betty Willett Award

Claire Hill received the inaugural award in 2018.

This is what her nominating colleague had to say:

"I wanted to write a detailed appreciation that fully does Claire justice, but I'll just note a few of the reasons that spring to mind about Claire who has:

• the most varied skill set of any reporter I know which has ensured that she is able to work in virtually any arena that the profession serves;
• is constantly striving to improve her knowledge and skills and she is fearless in taking on new tech challenges;
• is passionate about providing her clients with the highest level of service;
• is extremely generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise at a personal level and she has always been keen to participate and give her time and effort to the wider profession over the years despite a very busy schedule;
• manages admirably to balance her kindness and sensibility with well-honed business acumen in a challenging market!”

To add to that, BIVR Council was aware of the work Claire does, how highly thought of she is by her peers, clients and organisations (as can be seen on social media). We mustn't forget the fact that Claire single-handedly organised and hosted the City & Guilds course for current Speech-to-Text Reporters as well as those who were interested in maybe becoming an STTR. Added into all of that goes the fact that Claire is the first (and only, so far) to receive 100% on the QRR (Qualified Realtime Reporter) exam.

Claire couldn’t attend the AGM to receive the award, so our then President, Leah Willersdorf presented it about a month later. Here’s what she had to say upon receiving it:

“Thank you very much for this award. It’s a real honour to be recognised by one’s peers, and knowing the high regard in which we all held Betty, it’s particularly gratifying to receive an award in her name. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there today to receive it in person.

I’ve always tried to keep abreast of any new developments in reporting, whether that be new software, speech-to-text or remote working, and I always try to add value whenever I attend a job, and hopefully make the clients believe that a live stenographer, whether on-site or remote, is always the best option.

I’ve been really impressed with the BIVR in the last few years, I think you’re revitalising a profession that suffers from a real image problem in the wider world, so thank you for your hard work and please keep it up, as we all benefit.

I’d also like to thank all my co-workers over the years, whether fellow reporters, editors or captioners, because the best results are achieved when we work together in pursuit of the same goals.

I look forward to having the award in my hand, and it will have pride of place in my home!

Thank you again.

Claire."

Andrew Howell is the 2020 recipient.

Here's an extract from his nomination:

"Andrew is truly the most genuine and friendly stenographer in the UK. He is so welcoming and helpful, especially to any new STT reporters. He has a breadth (and years!) of knowledge that is unsurpassed. Andrew is extremely supportive by his very nature. He was extremely supportive in a team environment at the BBC, and remains so in the (competitive) freelance world.

"Specifically, Andrew has helped new reporters by taking the time and patience to explain how different software interacts. He has an encouraging way about him with only positive things to say about everyone, and the industry itself (...) In April 2019, he gave a student a stenography machine - selfless gesture. (...) Andrew has a working knowledge of most types of software, and set up the Facebook Text on Top Users Group page. He is the expert when it comes to all things Stenograph/CaseCatalyst. (...) He takes it upon himself to become a super-user and has many tips and tricks. Andrew doesn't get involved in the politics in the freelance world and remains neutral. Over the years, he has taught and passed on his knowledge of: KLive, OpenWrite, Text on Top and CC, and appeared at BIVR events (he captioned the BIVR Awareness Weekend in 2018), always with smiles, hugs and coffee!"

Due to Covid-19 restrictions Andrew could not attend personally, but he has sent us a photo of himself holding the award and there is that smile.

"I'm thrilled to have received this award. Having my name associated with Betty's is a high honour indeed.

I first met Betty in 1983 when I was a trainee, and straight away she went into Mother Hen mode and looked after me and my interests, and I will always be grateful to her for that.

I remember when I was lucky enough to be able to use the CAT system that Marten Walsh Cherer had bought, and Betty was in the office. I didn't know she was standing behind me, but she was looking at my transcript. She leant over and said, "My dear, best to have a semicolon before that 'however'.”

That moment seemed to me to sum Betty up - always watching and listening and offering advice and support when needed, working behind the scenes and got (sorry I used that word, Betty!) no glory for those efforts.

I hope I can live up to and continue the ideals Betty taught us, especially at these times with the relentless march of technology making our place in the world ever more difficult.

Thank you again for this award. It's the best thing about 2020 by far!"

This year’s recipient is Mary Sorene, a lady whose stenography career spans six decades and is a name synonymous with stenography here in the UK.

Mary began working as a pen shorthand writer at London’s Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) on 29 November 1971, having attained a speed of 210 words per minute. Between 1988 and 1993, Mary branched out on her own and was awarded a Crown Court contract in North London. Mary retrained from pen shorthand to the steno machine and began practising as a freelance verbatim reporter in 1993.

Mary is a member and/or officer in a number of national and international shorthand and reporting associations, including current Chairman of the Incorporated Phonographic Society (the oldest shorthand-writing society in the world), Treasurer of the Association of Verbatim Speech to Text Reporters (AVSTTR), our long-standing Secretary and Treasurer, and a Participating Member of the NCRA. Mary has her own training company to teach our court reporters of the future and is a Certified Reporting Instructor with the National Court Reporters Association. Mary holds various certificates in Education Principles and Practice, as well as having received an Award of Merit from the City of London Business News for Services to Training.

A little-known fact about Mary is that before working at the Old Bailey, she worked for ten years in the secretarial field, starting out as a junior shorthand-typist on 1 January 1962, working her way up to being a secretary to a partner in a firm of solicitors, then into commerce as secretary to the head of a department. Effectively, January 2022 will be Mary’s 60th anniversary of being in the profession of stenography, with November this year seeing Mary celebrate her 50th anniversary in court reporting.

In 1975, Mary married the love of her life, Raymond, who sadly passed away in 2015. They have a daughter, Carryl, and Lola the cat. For the past 12 months, Mary and Carryl have been the proud owners of three other cats (Onyx, Jasper and Sapphire) they rescued as kittens.

Nomination received from BIVR member Amanda Bavin, ASTTR, ACR:

“I would like to nominate Mary Sorene for the Betty Willett Award!! I first met Mary about 20 years ago when I went to her house to sit a BIVR speed test. I was nervous but was met with a smile, a cuppa, toast and jam, and a cat or two.

In my opinion, Mary has done an enormous amount of work for BIVR and for BIVR members, almost too much to mention. Mary's BIVR connections started way back in the 1970s, and along the way she earned an Award of Merit for services to Training. Mary doesn't blow her own trumpet so I found this on her website, along with Mary's usual congratulations of other [student] reporters who have achieved exam passes.

Mary has served on BIVR Council for many years and also AVSTTR Treasurer. She helps with charities such as United Kingdom Council on deafness UKCOD. Mary has represented stenographers and palantypists in countless ways over the years and is ALWAYS independent and promotes EVERYBODY in a positive light with her good humour.

Best known for her role as Secretary, she frantically pulls together the newsletters and nomination forms and keeps the Council shipshape. Mary is also involved with the IPS and has delivered Monday night dictation sessions always with a little humour here and there. She still runs her own business training students.

When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020 Mary didn't sit on her laurels; she immediately set up Tuesday free dictation CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions for everyone so that we could all keep some daily working structure. Mary has been truly unselfish in her tireless promotion of us all and the profession, and deserves this long-awaited recognition!”

An extract from Mary’s written response:

“What a wonderful surprise, indeed shock, to be the recipient of The Betty Willett Award.  Betty was an inspiration to us all, myself included, and to be thought worthy of this prestigious award is, indeed, a great honour, which I accept with thanks to the proposer and for the Council for agreeing.  This is my second honour, the first being given Life Membership some years ago by Betty herself.

Everyone in the court reporting world knew of Betty Willett and what a tough cookie she could be. However, I first met her in 1980 when I was heavily pregnant (with Carryl) and Betty came to the Old Bailey to test a prospective member. Then, in 1987 a request was made in the newsletter for fresh blood on Council. I applied. Betty called and positively purred down the phone. I was co-opted in September 1987 and elected in 1988. At one of the early meetings I attended, Betty was full of delight that through her letterbox had dropped an envelope from me with the suggestion that the information for prospective members be on different coloured paper – pastel colours, one for each, depositions for instance.

I was appointed Careers Officer and when the Institute wished to change its name upon merging with the National Society of Stenotypists (NSS) I was able to help through my counterpart at the Law Society to persuade the Home Office to permit the use of the word ‘British’ in our new name.

When Pat Pratt resigned and a new Secretary was needed, it was Betty who suggested that I would be ideal. Have I been? I think so and it seems so do others!

Although I retired from active note-taking in 2012, I continue to train stenographers, guiding them not just on the keyboard skills but also on the job itself and try to enthuse in them the joy that I have always felt at reaching my goal (first kindled in 1963, when I sat in the public gallery at the Royal Courts of Justice trying to take a shorthand note with an inadequate 70 wpm!) of becoming a verbatim court reporter.”

At our AGM on Sunday 31 July 2022 the Betty Willett Award was bestowed on our outgoing President and Council member Leah Willersdorf for outstanding achievement in the profession.Leah has represented BIVR on the world stage, the NCRA Firm Owners Conference and at Intersteno, to name just a few.  

To show what a worthy recipient Leah is of this prestigious award, I turn to some history - and so many good things have been written by and about Leah, that I really couldn't leave any of it out, hence, a rather longer tribute than our other recipients.  Enjoy the read.  [Sec.]

Leah joined Council in May 2011 and has been President twice, once for three consecutive years - September 2015 to September 2018 - and then again in 2020-21.  In September 2015 Leah brought her unique style to both Council and AGM meetings as well as livening up the Newsletter by renaming it the BIVR Bugle when it became a public document.  Leah’s President’s Letters have always been inspirational, never more so than in February 2018 where it is clear that Leah was inclusive bringing in all members and their unique skill set into the equation.  

“In this part of the newsletter for this edition, I would like to talk about professionalism and being a professional.  I have talked about it before but it is the cornerstone of what we all do and therefore important to reiterate.  Here’s a snippet of what I’ve said previously; in my very first newsletter way back in 2015 in fact:

‘Therefore, what does BIVR represent? To me, it represents professionalism in all its forms: whether it be when dealing with clients or the public; whether it be your attitude and approach to a particular assignment; whether it be your transcript; whether it be asking to sit in the most optimal position so you can hear; whether it is asking for that much-needed break.  Professionalism.  It is about us, as professionals in this wonderful career, caring about what we do and the final product we produce, loving what we do, promoting what we do, and perhaps encouraging others to enter this profession.  Yes, we are sometimes asked to go above and beyond with crazy deadlines or to sit longer hours than expected but we are always professionals.  Always hold your head high because nobody else can do what we do.  That, to me, is powerful.  I don’t mean powerful in the authoritative sense but in the sense that we are unique.  Yes, the advent of digitisation and even voice-writing in some fora has been with us for a while, but I honestly believe we still have a good number of years ahead of us in this profession.  Realtime is going to play a major part in keeping this profession alive, and whether you are pen, palan or steno and/or a scopist, you will be playing your part in that.’

In a courtroom or disciplinary hearing we capture the verbatim record of justice, and as STTRs we are the ears for the D/deaf and hard-of-hearing community.  We are guardians of the spoken word in many different arenas, and the words we write can potentially be read many, many years from now.  A thought I once read from the inimitable Nancy Varallo says, ‘They may not know your name by reading your words … but they will know whether or not you are a professional if you leave your mark…’ 

We never stop learning in this profession, whether it be on-the-job subject matter, learning a new short form (or ten in my case) or even down to software training.  Every single time we put pen to paper or our fingers on our machines, we are perfecting and polishing our skills and abilities that little bit more.  I, for one, am proud to call myself a professional who has professionalism and belongs to my professional organisation; an organisation where we all strive to be better at what we do, an organisation which can offer guidance, an organisation which has a Code of Ethics (albeit currently being rewritten), and, moreover, an organisation for like-minded professionals who are oh so unique in what we do.  If it weren’t for the shorthand writers who went before us, who shared their knowledge and their expertise, who had their own hurdles and obstacles to overcome in their era, the Institute would not be on the path it is today.  

That leads me perfectly on to our upcoming showcasing of BIVR at a professional exhibition.  Promoting the interests of our members as well as the profession is paramount to what the Institute does and so we are exhibiting at London’s ExCeL centre at the Legalex 2018 tradeshow.  It is being held on Wednesday, 21 March and Thursday, 22 March and is running alongside the Legal Cyber Security Expo.  Legalex is ‘The UK’s first, largest, and fastest growing legal event …’ aimed at the entirety of the legal profession and all that it encompasses.  The next section in the newsletter is dedicated to more info about the exhibition.

An anecdote favoured by the aforementioned Nancy Varallo, and one which I’ll be bearing in mind in future, is ‘Success is not a result of spontaneous combustion; you must set yourself on fire.’  So, go on, keep yourself warm by the fire in this current cold snap and pave your road to being a successful professional.

(Before signing off completely, I would love to hear any feedback, good or bad, on the new title for the newsletter, please.  I thought it was time to stop having a nameless newsletter.  If there’s any other suggestions, they will be more than welcome! Thank you.)”

There were many others in a similar vein and this year two of our members nominated Leah for the Betty Willett Award: 

“This Stenographer is world-renowned for her huge smile and willingness to help reporters both in the UK and abroad. She is involved with the NCRA and European institutions. When she is not travelling, (which isn't often... check Facebook and LinkedIn and you'll see she's been to Paris and Graz very recently and always with some (ok a lot!) Veuve Clicquot in sight. She is well known for being very friendly. 

The main way in which she has helped fellow workers is by serving her BIVR Committee and all the hard work that that entails. All the meetings and admin, decisions, debate...

Dipping her toe in at Milton Keynes in 2011, then Vice-President, back to Council, and then President from 2021. All of this without complaint. Don't underestimate the energy, vivaciousness and commitment of this Stenographer. She strives to always do the right thing by the membership, and always involving the membership and keeping everyone informed.

...and all that with bright red nails that match the luxury professional suitcases and iPads. So we know who it is...! There can only be one reporter matching this description... Leah."  Amanda Bavin

Then: 

I’m going to nominate Leah for the Award this year, so please don’t put the Award into storage yet.  I think it will make a nice addition to her new flat this year.  I'd like to nominate Leah because Leah has been a tremendously effective and popular ambassador for our profession: Her influence is felt in court reporting communities around the world where she is revered and treasured.  Leah has been an incredibly proactive and change-making President of BIVR, bringing together different disciplines, technologies, and people to get the word out there that we're still relevant and still here doing amazing work. She works across all sectors of our profession and shows an understanding of the needs and concerns of each group (like reporters, captioners, editors), and continues to toot BIVR's bugle to the different clients she encounters.  She is active and successful on social media, moving forward our profession.  Leah is incredibly supportive of students and newbie reporters and captioners, engaging with them on- and offline.

Leah and Betty had a special bond, and for Leah to receive this award would be a fitting tribute to someone who has given her best to build on Betty's foundations.  Thank you, Leah, for all you've done for us as President and Member!" Andrew Howell

A response from our worthy recipient: 

Ahhh, our Betty! To know her was something else.  She was formidable.  She was funny.  She was caring.  She was knowledgeable.  She was a stalwart of our profession, an expert in so many ways.  She was someone who would tell it how it was, no beating around the bush.  She was a passionate volunteer/ambassador for a number of organisations.  She carried with her an air of authority; when Betty spoke, you jolly well listened.  For me, once I’d joined BIVR Council in 2011, she was always there, sitting beside me at meetings; yes, in the beginning she would give me the side-eye.  But then one day she was gone.  Who can ever forget a human being like that?

When Betty passed in February 2017, as the then President, I suggested to the Council that we honour Betty by initiating The Betty Willett Award, an award which we deemed, after discussion, would be awarded for “Outstanding Contribution to the Profession.”  It was not to be a frivolous award for any old thing but for something memorable, something to the benefit the many, if not them all; a true contribution to the profession of stenography.

To join the ranks of the other recipients – Betty posthumously, Claire Hill, Andrew Howell and Mary (no surname necessary!) – is an out-and-out honour.  To Amanda and Andrew for nominating me, my thanks is insurmountable.

Betty is gone but she will never be forgotten.  Indeed, as I once wrote on behalf of BIVR for a tribute at her funeral, Betty lives on in many a stenographer's fingers.  Leah

At our AGM on Saturday, 12 August 2023, The Betty Willett Award was bestowed on our member Amanda Bavin for outstanding achievement in the profession.

Amanda is a captioner (Speech-to-Text Reporter) who began her career at the BBC many years ago. Now a freelancer for almost two decades, Amanda travels around the country covering a myriad of captioning assignments and having gone as far afield as Hong Kong for a conference.

Nomination 1 - from Andrew Howell:

Amanda Bavin should have the Betty Willett Award because, over the years, she has given the profession so much. After her excellent and praised work at the BBC, Amanda went into the freelance captioning field and has since continued to be a strong advocate and practitioner for accurate human-generated realtime captioning. Amanda's not just about her own success, though: she's all about lifting up her colleagues and the industry as a whole.

She's like a walking info hub, always keeping her peers in the loop about what's new in the field -- from tech updates to extensive vocab tips for different jobs, and even fun stuff for professional growth, Amanda's got it all covered. She has created a space where captioners can share their skills and learn from each other. Amanda is a true professional who I think would be a worthy recipient of the Award. Amanda certainly embodies the way that Betty worked in her time - sharing and encouraging everyone whilst being honest and true to the profession.

Nomination 2 - from Mary Sorene:

I am putting Amanda Bavin forward for the Betty Willett Award.

Over several years Amanda has sent through helpful hints on, for instance, short forms STT, Case CATalyst tips, equipment needed, Luminex troubleshooting, Text on Top updated in 2019 and again in 2020 and so many more.

Amanda is still putting out lots of information, helpful handy hints for all of us.

A few days ago, I saw a Facebook entry where someone asked for help on and who answered promptly? Amanda Bavin! Just one example of Amanda helping the profession. Amanda is the first to offer assistance like this and has for many years. Amanda has willingly helped people complete CPD forms for NRCPD too and could be a worthy recipient of the BWA for, as it says on our website: outstanding achievement in the profession.

Amanda’s words of thanks:

I am delighted and honoured to receive this award.

It is a privilege to be nominated by fellow peers and work colleagues.

Having not met Betty in person, I had often heard of her formidable and well-respected character. When I first went freelance in 2004, someone gave me Betty’s phone number for advice. If my memory serves me correctly, it was a lengthy conversation about decluttering a kitchen drawer, along with good refreshing, no-nonsense work advice!

During my career, I have always tried to be helpful, and I am not driven by financial rewards so this award is gratefully received by me. Over the years, I have documented my technical and practical knowledge as little info existed when I left employment as a stenographer at the BBC. It is not an easy career with many a Premier Inn stay, but it does have its highlights! No other job allows you to be an extra on the filming set in ‘Jurassic World’ one day and then whisked off to Hong Kong for a conference the next. Only this summer, I captioned a funeral service in Brighton and two days later a comedy night in Camden. Is there a more varied job? I’ve met so many interesting people over the years and my knowledge of UK geography has massively improved.

Thanks again to Andrew and Mary for nominating me.

At our AGM on Sunday 21 July 2024, the Betty Willett Award was bestowed on our member Jenny Chandler for outstanding achievement in the profession.  Jenny Institute in the 70s, first as an Associate, then a Fellow, which involved taking (and passing) exams in two different fields of reporting.  Jenny came on to Council in 1980 until 2002 and was President numerous times, the first time in 1986.

Jenny is Managing Director of MartenWalsh Cherer, one of the oldest shorthand writing firms in the UK.

Nominated by Mary Krelle and Seconded by Nia Davidson.

Mary Krelle:

I nominate Jenny Chandler for the Betty Willett Award.  I have only known Jenny professionally and personally since 2017 (although of course I had heard her name as a bit of a legend in the world of verbatim reporting) so I can only speak from what I have seen and how she has treated me.

Her knowledge, professionalism and care for the high standards of the profession are second to none.  I am in awe of her stamina as she continues to oversee the parliamentary contract for Marten Walsh Cherer, and I know that is only a tiny part of her long and extraordinary career.  She is still using her wealth of knowledge to train new stenographers, transcribers and editors.  She shares Betty’s passion, dedication and commitment to our profession and I think she truly deserves the honour.

On a personal note, I will never forget her kindness to me when I unexpectedly became a freelance reporter in 2017, and in the years following, including through the pandemic.   I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working with her!

Nia Davidson:

I wholeheartedly second the nomination that Jenny Chandler should receive the Betty Willett Award.  I have known Jenny since 1987 when I joined the MWC family as a very young admin assistant/trainee stenographer.  Jenny immediately recognised my excitement for the magic of the steno machine, having not long converted from pen herself.   She readily shared her huge enthusiasm for and commitment to court reporting and made sure to follow my progress in the theory, encouraging me to get to court as soon as possible and sit the exams.  Her love for her work and insistence on quality transcription were hugely influential on all new recruits: we had no doubt that our work and how we did it mattered; she tirelessly read our transcripts and found memorable ways to help us learn; she encouraged us to try all different types of work; and she listened to and helped us when we had difficulties.

Jenny gave many years of her time to the Institute’s committee from the 1980s-early 2000s at a time of huge change.  Ever since I have known her, she has also done brilliant networking at important parties with clients, keeping judges, barristers, solicitors and civil servants firmly in the know about the difficulties the profession faces and how important we are.

Friends and family are constantly amazed that I have a job that I still absolutely love.   This is a direct result of Jenny’s nurturing and attitude to her work.

Jenny's Acceptance speech:

As I did have notice, prepared just a very short acceptance, if I may say it?

I'm extremely honoured to have been nominated for this year's Betty Willett Award, and I'm delighted to be here to receive it in person.

Most of you won't know this, but I personally owe Betty Willett a huge debt of gratitude. Once upon a time, I was a meek and mild young shorthand writer. I remember a particular Council meeting when Betty was seeking volunteers for various positions. A woman of impressive stature, Betty looked around the room after the meeting, for suitable candidates, her eyes failing to alight on little me.

Later that evening, after the meeting, I was so upset at being overlooked that I plucked up the courage and rang her to ask why she hadn't considered me for one of the positions. She said she thought I wouldn't be interested. She was probably just being polite when what she really meant was that she didn't think I would be suitable!

From that moment on, I was determined to speak up for myself and others, and subsequently became President of the Institute and Chief Examiner on a number of occasions.

Betty had vast experience in all aspects of verbatim reporting but specifically union conferences, which she attended for many years for MWC. Indeed, some years later I had the privilege to work with her in Brighton at the TUC Annual Congress, which MWC covers to this day.

Betty was an inspiration to us all and I feel immensely proud to be the recipient of this year's award in her name.