The Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation has won this year’s Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award, presented by The Production Guild of Great Britain.
The Award was given yesterday at PGGB’s Talent Showcase, hosted in association with The Walt Disney Studios and supported by Sargent-Disc.
Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation was founded 12 years ago to support new and diverse talent. Sara Putt Associates recognises that there are many highly-trained individuals out there who want to enter the film and TV industry, but many need help with the soft skills required to develop a successful freelance career.
The Trainee Scheme involves working with a new cohort of trainees each year through workshops, events and first-hand access to industry operators, to give people a footing in the industry.
The Foundation works alongside partner organisations, helping to create access for people who might never have had the opportunity to work in film and TV and improving diversity and representation in the industry.
The 2025 award-winner Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation was selected from five finalists whose work involves championing, nurturing and inspiring inclusion within the industry, from recruiting crew and providing training to creating initiatives and practices which can be adopted by others. Nominations came from across the UK.
Sara Putt, Founder and Managing Director of Sara Putt Associates said, “We feel incredibly honoured, very moved, and touched that people have thought to nominate us for this award. We are admirers and supporters of the Production Guild of Great Britain, and have been for many years, so we’re very aware of this award and, honestly, we’re all hugely surprised and incredibly delighted.
“We are in such amazing company – the finalists this year are all fantastic. We’re all family and everybody’s trying to achieve the same goals of making the industry a better place. As my colleague Nicola wisely says, ‘Sara, we’re not trying to boil the ocean. We’re just trying to make a corner of it a little warmer.’ I think an award like this really helps in that work. Thank you.”
First launched in 2022, the award recognises the work of those organisations or individuals in production, who are helping to create and progress talent inclusion in the UK screen production workforce. The winner was chosen by a jury led by PGGB’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh said, “Many of these individuals and organisations have existed for years, delivering incredibly important work and it takes a platform like this, to really shine a light on the importance of creating opportunity for those who have the talent but maybe not the connections and access to the industry.”
Bianca Gavin, Chair of PGGB said: “It is an honour to celebrate the winner and finalists of PGGB’s Talent Inclusion Award presented by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, highlighting their innovative and inspiring work to support career development of those who may otherwise face barriers. It is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge their impact and build more engagement for the future.”
The first recipient of The Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award was 6ft From the Spotlight, which was praised for its work to improve mental health and wellbeing in the UK film and TV production workplace, and last year the award went to Million Youth Media, for their relentless endeavours to provide talented young people from under-represented communities with the tools, opportunities and knowledge they need to thrive in film & TV.
Pippa Considine
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