EMPLOYEES of Dorset County Council have been recognised for their hard work and exceptional achievements at the authority’s first ever staff Pride Awards ceremony.

The Pride Awards acknowledge the efforts of county council staff in providing services for the people of Dorset throughout last year.

Dorset residents and county council staff nominated the individuals and teams that they felt deserved special recognition for the excellent services they helped to provide. Nominations were whittled down to a short list by a panel of judges including the leader of the council Angus Campbell, chief executive David Jenkins, members of staff and representatives of the public through the Citizens’ Panel.

Judges then carefully selected the winners based on the attributes they had demonstrated in meeting the criteria for each category.

Short-listed nominees came from across the diverse range of the county council’s staff, including carers on the ‘frontline’ in social care and children’s services, support workers, bus drivers and team managers.

The winners of the Pride Awards were announced at a ceremony at the Coade Hall Theatre in Blandford.

The Pride Awards winners’ names were revealed, Oscars-style, from sealed envelopes before being presented with their trophies by the chairman of Dorset County Council John Peake, who also presented the Commended certificates.

Leader of the county council Angus Campbell said: “I am very proud of our staff. The county council can only achieve things through them and it is very important to mark and celebrate individuals’ and teams’ tremendous efforts to provide services for people in Dorset.”

The winners of the Pride Awards were: Outstanding Customer Service: Alison Walker, manager, Greenwood Independent Living Centre; Dignity, Respect and Kindness in Care: Brenda Dovell, care assistant, Dorchester Day Centre; Team of the Year: Purbeck Opportunity Centre, Wareham; Staff Team (day services for learning disability, physical disability and sensory loss) Manager of the Year: Phil Farmer; Pupil and School Improvement Employee of the Year: Alan Rolls, driver, Dorset Passenger Transport. The Chief Executive’s Award for Innovation went to Richard Ironside in the accountancy team.