What is Uniqueness?
Uniqueness is a registered charity, No. 1106755
The charity was established to:
Discover the uniqueness in Stevenage and Hertfordshire students from Year Nine to Eleven and young offenders aged between 18-24, with a Thomas International personal profile. By using this simple 8-minute one sheet questionnaire, Uniqueness highlights their personal strengths, attributes, and identifies vocations in life in which they are likely to succeed.
Our sponsors, who are local employers, get the very real benefit of being able to identify new talent, contact, interview, and possibly recruit students whose profiles match their current vacancies using the Thomas International personal profile.
Through a one hour motivational and inspirational presentation at Stevenage and Hertfordshire secondary schools, Uniqueness shares examples of ordinary success, achieved by former Stevenage and Hertfordshire school students.
We provide a 10-minute success formula and a dream realisation coaching demonstration with one student from the audience. During the presentation we will prove that anyone can plan and commit themselves to being successful regardless of academic ability, gender, or race.
Our founder
Cambridge based Robert Stewart founded the volunteer only charity Uniqueness 20 years ago in 2003. Rob has personally spoken to over 6,000 students and works on a one-to-one basis with, young, prolific and persistent offenders. He is passionate about identifying the working strength of all the students within the local state schools particularly in his town of origin, Stevenage.
Uniqueness has worked closely with the Princes Trust, YMCA and the Hertfordshire Police and sponsored Tony Franklin's not for profit organisation, Time2Change who specifically work with prolific & persistent offenders. In 1989 aged just 23, Robert founded the award winning, specialist, global polythene supplier, Stevenage Packaging Limited. 35 years on, the company has demonstrated year on year consecutive net profit and sales growth, whilst never making a redundancy & employing three family generations.
Rob and his company have won a number of regional awards: New Business Enterprise Award, Against All Odds Award, Employee of the Year Award and he has personally won Business Person of the Year. In 2010 he acquired Happy Mechanics Limited - a specialist accountancy practice and in its first year under his leadership the company has achieved 2,250% growth, making it one of the fastest growing companies in the UK. Previously under the brand of "The Differentiator.com", Rob has coached and mentored a number of SMEs in True Customer Love, Differentiating Through Culture, Family Business Success and His Inspirational Business Life Story.
Stevenage Packaging Ltd are founder members of The Stevenage Community Trust, a charity working in the local community established 34 years ago in 1990 to raise funds and promote charitable giving in order to enhance the quality of life of people living in the area. Rob has been an advocate and volunteer throughout the life of the Trust, a trustee for over 20 years and is the current President succeeding Barry Norman CBE and Ken Follett CBE, and was their third Chairman from 2013-2023 preceded by Ken Follett CBE and the late Lord David Cobbold. In 2018 he was recognised for his work in the community and awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship award from The Rotary Club - for 'Service above Self'. Only 150 are awarded each year by the Board of Rotary International. Recipients worldwide include President Jimmy Carter and Boris Yeltsin.
I just wanted to thank you personally for giving up your valuable time at the Roadshow last Friday & for the very entertaining & motivating "Rob Stewart Story". The feedback has been fantastic.
Barclays Bank PLC
I am writing to thank you for presenting the major awards. The bucket story was inspirational.
The Princes Trust
Robert is a true local entrepreneur, who inspires others through speaking about his experiences and dreams. He is passionate about what he does and shares the belief that the entrepreneurial spirit cuts across all cultures and faiths.
Business Link Hertfordshire
Rob Stewart, our keynote was inspirational, grasping the intricacies of a complex industry like optics and developing the sort of insight he did takes a special kind of skill. Doing that and holding an audience is pure genius. If you ever get the chance to hear Rob, take it.
The Independent Opticians Annual Convention
Our Trustees:
Robert Stewart
Founder
Uniqueness founder, Cambridge based Robert Stewart, in 1989 aged 23 founded the award winning specialist global polythene supplier, Stevenage Packaging Ltd. Twenty seven years on, the company has demonstrated 26 years consecutive net profit and sales growth, whilst never making a redundancy & employing three family generations. Robert and his company have won a number of regional awards: New Business Enterprise Award, Against All Odds Award, Employee of the Year Award and Robert has won Business Person of the Year Award.
Robert founded the volunteer only charity Uniqueness 20 years ago in 2003 and has personally spoken to over 6,000 students and works on a one-to-one basis with, young, prolific & persistent offenders. Uniqueness sponsor Tony Franklin's not for profit organisation, Time2Change who specifically work with prolific & persistent offenders.
Uniqueness works closely with the Princes Trust, YMCA and the Hertfordshire Police.
Eric Peacock
Chair
Eric Peacock CMG is passionate about people development, culture, engagement and innovation as ways to create competitive advantage.
He has travelled the world looking for the best engagement practice in USA, mainland Europe and the Far East as well as spent time looking closely at what's currently happening in the UK.
Hilary Stewart
Vice-Chair
Jan Vallis
Secretary
Thomas International
The Prince's Trust
Stevenage Packaging Limited
Herts Chamber Commerce
Foreman Laws
Barclays Bank
Hertfordshire Police
RHG Insurance Brokers
The Consulting Consortium
Sponsors
We would like to say a sincere THANK YOU to the sponsors who have provided financial support or enormous time and goodwill of talented individuals within their organisations.
Ways to support us
There are several ways to get involved with the work of Uniqueness. Options include a one-off donation or regular monthly giving, enabling us to make a difference in thousands of young people's lives.