Keele Business School student Elliott Lancaster has been shortlisted for the British Education Awards in recognition of his academic results and extra-curricular success.

Elliott, who has been shortlisted in the ‘Degree’ category, has been an active member of the Keele community, achieving the Diamond Volunteering Award, establishing the Rotaract and Entrepreneurship and Innovation student societies, as well as being President of the Accounting and Finance Society. He was also latterly elected as the Keele Students’ Union Education Officer.

Elliott’s passion for entrepreneurship has culminated in the founding of his social enterprise, Utter Rubbish, an app designed to improve recycling and waste services in the UK. This venture was recognised by Elliott winning the ‘Enterprise’ category award at the 2018 Green Gown Awards.

After becoming actively involved in volunteering at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust last year, Elliott became their youngest ever trustee and has put youth engagement at the centre of their operations, carrying out a number of key initiatives to encourage teenagers and young people to get involved with conservation activities.

Throughout his time at Keele, Elliott has excelled as a scholar, not only through his outstanding attainment on the Accounting and Finance course, but also through wider engagement with academia by presenting papers at student conferences, as well as writing for the Keele JADE Journal. Elliott has also interviewed money saving expert Martin Lewis to discuss the upcoming changes in student finance for ITV and The Guardian.

The British Education Awards is a unique event where young people, their families and teachers, along with politicians, professionals and celebrities from across the UK come together to celebrate educational attainment.

Elliott said: “I am delighted and shocked that I have been recognised in this way for supporting other students and a range of local causes. I hope that this will give other students the confidence to pursue areas that interest them too.”