2022 Dee Richards Pride Award Winners
1. Damion Christie and David Westwood – West Bromwich Albion FC
Our first Individual Pride Award Winners are from the high profile West Bromwich Albion FC contract, both operating as part of our expansive Stadium Cleaning Team, delivering cleaning pre, during and post-match!
Damion Christie was nominated by Contract Manager Jane Shields due to positive feedback received from our client contacts at ‘the Baggies’, he was identified as a member of the team that consistently goes above and beyond, carrying out this varied role with real enthusiasm and a friendly demeanor.
Our next nomination from the Albion is David Westwood, somebody described as ‘golden’ by Contract Manager Jane and an employee always willing to be utilised as a cover Operative or carry out overtime. Individuals such as David are a key part of any successful cleaning team and the support he offers is certainly valued by everybody associated with this contract.
Reflecting on Damion and David’s career over the past 12 months, Jane commented:
“Both Damion and David have genuinely stood out over the past 12 months, it is a cleaning contract where no two days are ever the same and we go through immensely busy periods so reliability and a ‘can do’ attitude is critical. They are both deserving of this prestigious award and I would like to congratulate them on their achievement. Well done both, you are great ambassadors for we clean and the West Brom!”
2. Etna McNeil – we clean Head Office
Etna is a valued and popular member of our Head Office Team, carrying out her Administrative duties with minimal fuss, she simply gets the ‘job done!’
Etna plays an integral role in a number of critical Head Office functions, assisting in our ever-growing payroll function, invoicing for ancillary services and offering general support to our Finance and HR Teams.
Gaynor Powell is full of praise for Etna:
“Etna is a very reliable member of the Head Office Team – whatever task she is presented with she ‘just gets on with it’ and invariably does it to the highest possible standard. She is a really lovely lady and we are very lucky to have her within our Administrative team”
3. Fati Burai – No 4 Brindleyplace
Our next Pride Award winner hails from our Early AM Brindleyplace Cleaning Team.
Brindleyplace is an immensely popular mixed use estate, consisting of various restaurants as well as vast Grade A Office Space. A longstanding we clean contract and a ‘jewel in the crown’ of our Birmingham portfolio we are always striving to deliver service excellence to the Brindleyplace FM Team and their respective tenants.
Starting work at 5am takes a lot of motivation and discipline, particularly on cold, dark winter mornings however Fati is ‘Mrs Reliable’ and arrives early, day in, day out. She operates with great integrity and is always on hand to help Lead Housekeeper Baba Seckan.
Baba in conjunction with Robb Paton Contract Manager nominated Fati due to her unwavering commitment and desire to always better herself.
Baba commented:
“Fati is a wonderful Cleaning Operative and very attentive in everything she does. Both myself and Robb thought she was a very worthy winner and Dee herself would be proud of her. The team are in very early in the morning, it is not easy to do this each day over a long period of time yet Fati has never let me down. Thanks for all your hard work Fati!”
4. Lubomir Hromy – Birmingham Hippodrome
Lubo has been with the organisation for well over a decade, operating within the iconic Birmingham Hippodrome Contract throughout his career with we clean.
Lubo’s role is primarily an external one, operating in all weather conditions, ensuring the busy entrances remain pristine and also managing the extensive waste systems. As a person Lubo is always willing to do whatever is requested of him and is a credit to our business.
David Holmes-McClure, H&S Manager and Yvette Meade, Cleaning Manager for the Hippodrome are very proud to have Lubo as part of their team, he is always wears full corporate uniform and is very polite to all Hippodrome employees as well as members of the public. He has also begun helping out at the Hawthorns as part of the Matchday Cleaning Team.
David who has worked closely with Lubo throughout his time at the Hippodrome had this to say:
“I have managed Lubo for the past 8 years and he has been a genuinely great part of the team. The Hippodrome is a challenging environment to clean and Lubo adapts brilliantly to the different demands that this contract brings. Both myself and Yvette are immensely proud of Lubo, he is truly deserving of this award!”
5. Michael Hodgetts – The West Brom Building Society
Michael was a longstanding member of our West Brom Building Society Head Office cleaning team up until his recent retirement.
Nominated for his dedication and reliability and a real ‘can do’ attitude Michael could have retired some years earlier however due to his passion and commitment to The West Brom decided to stay on and continue his career. A popular member of the team Michael always gave his best day in, day out and will be sorely missed by his colleagues on site.
Tammy Reynolds, Location Manager for the state of the art West Brom Head Office commented:
“He was an amazing team worker, we all have total respect for Michael and he was such an important member of the team and had a great relationship with all of his colleagues. He was polite and conscientious and genuinely enjoyed his day to day role. May we wish him all the best in his retirement!”
6. Nick Jeywright – Milton Keynes
As an organisation we clean has grown organically over the past 19 years, being incredibly selective in the markets within which we operate. However, as part of that growth we have spread geographically, north to the East Midlands as well as south towards Cambridge and Milton Keynes, with the latter being where our next Pride Award winner is based, Nick Jeywright!
Nick initially TUPE’d across as part of our contract win with the FM Company, CEG back in 2019 and had been a constant at this Milton Keynes hub for many years prior. He has fully embraced the role of Location Manager with support from Contract Manager Richard Wharton and has ensured that we clean have maintained a high level of service and enabled us to further our portfolio within Milton Keynes Central. He has been key to numerous new tenants within Witan Studios utilising our service and has proven to be a valuable member of the we clean management structure.
Richard echoes this:
“The main reason for Nick being recognized with a Pride Award is that over the past 3 to 4 years Nick has on many occasions gone way over and above the scope of his role to facilitate the smooth running of all 4 buildings we manage within Milton Keynes. He has maintained a strong relationship with CEG Building Managers and they were therefore keen to formally recognise Nick’s commitment to this contract as a thank you for his ongoing support. I would personally like to thank Nick for his efforts and support to me personally and I look forward to furthering a longstanding relationship with Nick throughout the years to come and to make sure that he feels a valued member of we clean!”
7. Theron Plowright – Tricorn House
Theron has been exceptional in his role over the last 12 months and beyond since joining we clean during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the son of Audeen Bonnick, a past Pride Winner herself he is fully aware of the standards set by Contract Manager Maureen Francis and our client base and has excelled in his role.
All those that work closely with Theron note what a polite young man he really is, and he is loved by all clients and colleagues alike.
Maureen had no hesitations in nominating Theron:
“Theron has been exemplary throughout his time with the business, his work ethic and dedication has blown us away and he is highly regarded by our client contacts.
In terms of the criteria for the Pride Award, Theron ticks every box, he is:
- Professional
- Reliable and consistent in everything he does
- He works with massive integrity and this shines through in his personality
- He also possesses great desire to deliver service excellence to our client base
- As an Operative he is very effective, working diligently and embracing new cleaning methodology following the pandemic.
This was an easy decision in nominating Theron and I genuinely couldn’t be prouder of him.”
8. Tina Franklin – HORIBA MIRA
Tina is a very longstanding member of our HORIBA MIRA Cleaning Team, initially TUPE’ing across as part of our contract win back in 2015, she has now been working at the expansive automotive hub for over 15 years, even meeting her Husband Chris, on-site!
Tina works as a Daytime Housekeeper in what is a client facing role and her experience is invaluable on a site with over 60 individual locations and buildings dotted across 100+ acres.
Karen Lord, Site Cleaning Manager couldn’t be prouder to have her as part of her team:
“Tina is absolutely brilliant, she has been here for so long that she knows everybody on-site and represents we clean in a very positive manner. Nothing is ever too much trouble, she is more than willing to return and cover of an evening, help with the arrival of consumables on-site or anything outside of the remit of her traditional day to day tasks.
We deliver cleaning to so many buildings and it is really important to know that I can trust my team and I have zero doubts with Tina, she is just fantastic.”
9. Yafiet Asefaw – Colmore Gate
Yaf began working with we clean as a very shy and quiet man before developing into his cleaning role working closely with Location Manager Dale Brewer where he became more confident, displaying real potential and becoming an integral part of the team.
As a result Contract Manager Debbie Rhodes offered more roles throughout Birmingham to Yaf who welcomed the opportunity and began to thrive as a Cleaning Operative. He carries out a number of differing roles and also works for Contract Support Manager Sean Wright at Brindleyplace Number Eleven building.
Debbie commented:
“Yaf is willing to step in at a minutes notice, he is always happy to help and does everything with a smile. Whichever site he works on our client is always full of praise and can’t speak highly enough of him. During his time with us he has learnt to drive and is currently at college doing a maths and English course, a testament to his desire to better himself as both a we clean employee and person in general.
Yaf is loyal, hardworking and a pleasure to work with. He is just a nice, well-mannered respectful man and I am very proud to have overseen his journey with we clean develop.”
