The outstanding contribution County Council staff make to the lives of people across Northumberland have been recognised at this year’s Excellence Awards.
A prestigious awards ceremony was held in the beautiful Pavillion at the Alnwick Garden and guests included finalists, Council leaders and event sponsors – Potts, Carillion, Bond Dickinson and Northumbrian Water.
Peter Jackson, Leader of Northumberland County Council, said “Our judges had an incredibly tough task choosing the winners from so many high-calibre nominations.
“The good work that goes on right across the county is often not sufficiently recognised but I am happy to show our appreciation on behalf of residents all over our county.
“The seamless delivery of the recent Tour of Britain cycle race was a great example of our staff pulling together to make our county a better place.
“These awards gave us the opportunity to express our gratitude and celebrate the outstanding efforts of our staff.”
The award winners are:
Careers Guidance Team – Outstanding Team of the Year Award
Christine Crawford – Outstanding Employee of the Year Award
Occupational Health Service & HR – Outstanding Partnership Working Award
Martin Lindores AND the Asylum Seeker & Refugee Team – Diversity in Practice Award
Emma Troup – Outstanding Apprentice of the Year Award
Ellie Cooper and Rebecca Harding – Outstanding Learner of the Year Award
The Northstar Centre – Community Project of the Year Award
John Hunter – Innovation Project of the Year Award
Hexham Refuse Crew E Route – Customer Service of the Year Award
Vicki Atkinson – Excellence in Leadership Award
Dave Pears – Lifetime Achievement Award
Bill Brown – Outstanding Dedication Award
A surprise Leader’s Choice Award was also presented on the night – this went to the Apprenticeship Ambassadors; Martin Lillico, Lewis Mills, Leon Craggs and Sam Hogg.
In June 2017, Northumberland County Council launched a recruitment drive for 160 apprentices, making a £1.75 million commitment to providing great opportunities for young people in the county. To support the recruitment the Apprenticeship Ambassadors became the faces of the campaign, and their images appeared on buses, at train stations, on display stands and on literature. The ‘We’re Making it Work’ recruitment campaign raised awareness of the County Council’s Apprenticeship Programme, which offers apprenticeships from entry level to Degree level.
By learning and developing in their own fields, they have grasped a firm understanding of the apprenticeship process and developed the perfect skills to front the campaign, promoting the County Council as an ideal place for young people to start their career journey. There has been great deal of very positive feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and applicants regarding how and why they felt that the image and campaign had resonated with them.