Ad Lucem Awards 2025

Denise is the Championship Referee of Wimbledon. She is the first woman in the world to hold the position at any of the ‘Grand Slam’ Championships.

After Withington, Denise embarked on a career as a professional tennis player, winning the British Under 21 title in 1981. She has played for and captained England on several occasions and played on the professional tennis circuit for ten years, including Wimbledon in 1986.

Retiring from professional tennis in 1990, Denise started gaining the necessary qualifications and reputation needed to work professionally as a tennis referee. In 2006 she attained the highest qualification awarded by the ITF (International Tennis Federation), that of Gold Badge Referee, a position currently held by only 17 women out of 71 Gold Badge holders worldwide.

During her career she has officiated at the Olympic Games in Athens and has been designated as Referee of a variety of international events in 43 different countries.

In 2021 she was appointed Referee of the pre-Wimbledon event at the Queen’s Club – the Cinch Championships. This was the first time that a woman had been appointed as Referee of a Men’s Professional Tour event of this level anywhere in the world. The same year she was awarded Referee of the Year by the Association of British Tennis Officials.

She took over as Championship Referee at Wimbledon in 2024, the first woman to do so in its 125 year history.

In addition to her officiating, Denise also runs her own consultancy business, working with high-tech companies who provide scores and statistics and advanced TV graphics. In this capacity she also works with national governing sports bodies.

Talia, from the Class of 2016, studied Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Nottingham, followed by a Master’s degree studying the Criminal Justice System at Leeds University. Recognising the opportunities that her education at Withington had offered her, she has aligned her career path to help those who have not been afforded the same advantages.

She currently works for Manchester Women’s Aid, providing support to women facing domestic abuse, stalking, and harassment. She helps them gain access to essential resources, including mental health care, housing, and legal assistance, while also developing comprehensive safety plans. She is committed to promoting female empowerment and strives to ensure that support is available to everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or financial circumstances. She is also in the process of qualifying as an Integrative Counsellor, specialising in areas such as grief and bereavement, complex trauma, generalised anxiety, and eating disorders.

Talia has volunteered in both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts, supporting vulnerable adults and children in liaison with Victim Support and the Witness Service, using her knowledge and strength to amplify the voices of those who often struggle to speak for themselves.

She says that the values she learned at Withington and our school’s close-knit and supportive environment were instrumental in shaping her career path, guiding her journey and fuelling her passion for helping others.

The Rose Acton Award is awarded in memory of former pupil, Rose Acton (Class of 2010) who died in 2020. It is presented to an alumna who has made an outstanding contribution to society, or who acts as an inspirational role model, either in a professional, voluntary or philanthropic capacity, or through their personal endeavours. Their achievements, outlook and conduct continue to reflect the school’s ethos and values, making them an exceptional ambassador for Withington.

Unlike the other awards, the recipient of the Rose Acton Award is decided by the school, rather than voted on by pupils.

Andrea very sadly passed away following an accident at the end of November 2023 and the award was presented to her family at Founders’ Day.
Andrea left Withington in 1996 to study French and German at Edinburgh University, which incorporated a year studying abroad in Belgium and Austria – the first of many overseas adventures. Her life was characterised by that sense of adventure, a curiosity about the world and a love of learning. Having volunteered in South Africa and Botswana, taught English in Japan and completed the first of her two Master’s degrees, Andrea found her true calling working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Humanitarian work was Andrea’s passion and took her all over the world, from Rwanda to Colombia, to the Democratic Republic of Congo. She tackled some of the toughest challenges including human rights in prisons and the reunification of orphans with wider family members but always with equanimity. She continued her career with the ICRC right up until she died, moving into a learning and development role that took the family to Kenya, Thailand and then Geneva where she took up the post of Deputy Head of Learning and Development, training new recruits and supporting the career path of colleagues.

Andrea embraced both the challenges and the opportunities in life. She also made the smaller day to day things count. After her death, her many friends from around the world all said the same thing: that she was thoughtful, loving and always made time for them.

Andrea’s legacy will be the impact she has had, not only through her work, but on the many individuals that she encountered throughout her life.