Martin Prue - September winner
Martin Prue has managed the charity, CITEE Ltd (the Churches Initiative in Training, Employment and Enterprise), for nearly 25 years, running programmes to support people experiencing unemployment, long term or short term mental health issues and other forms of disadvantage. He has consistently shown exceptional care for each person who comes to CITEE for help. He has a way of making all course members feel valued and an ability to offer hope for a better future.
In December 1989, Martin was employed to take on the challenge of launching the charity with just a feasibility study and a year’s funding. He found an office and training base in Foleshill and within a month had recruited 10 long-term unemployed people for the first programme. He has continued to work with Coventry people from all walks of life, all ages and backgrounds, working with GPs, Probation, Mental Health Services, Job Centres and a range of voluntary sector organisations to meet the needs of Coventry people, providing hope and changing lives. He has successfully bid for virtually every funding pot available to the Voluntary Sector in order to keep CITEE going, while keeping the charity true to its original aims; he has battled against funding cuts and borne the brunt of constant uncertainty for the future.
Martin has helped people to turn their lives around, supported them back to work after a period of mental ill health and discover new direction for their future. He is well regarded by professional agencies in the city as a man who works with integrity, compassion and keeps the best interests of CITEE’s participants at the heart of the work. His tenacity has shone through when times have been financially very tough and when new funding criteria have created huge challenges. Martin loves the work he does at CITEE, and never tires of being able to give people an opportunity to move forward, regardless of the hurdles they face.
Martin is undoubtedly a most worthy recipient of the Coventry Good Citizen Award