Peter Lloyd – Dee Richards Pride Champion 2024
The Dee Richards Pride ‘Champion’ Award is the highest accolade an individual within our organisation can receive.
Now into its 9th Year the annual Pride Awards programme is a lasting memorial to our ‘Dee’ who more than anyone epitomised the unique we clean ethos and to be recognised as a ‘Dee Richards Pride Award Champion’ clearly demonstrates an unwavering dedication and commitment to delivering service excellence to our clients.
Over the past 12 month’s, no one within the we clean team has been more deserving of this recognition than Peter Lloyd, Team Leader for our Arcadian Estate Cleaning Contract in the heart of Birmingham.
We Clean Directors Paul Concannon, David Harker pictured alongside Debbie Rhodes and Pride Champion, Peter Lloyd.
The Arcadian is an incredibly popular mixed-use estate, with a buzzing and vibrant night-time economy plus numerous eateries and no two days are ever the same for Peter and his we clean colleagues who provide daily estate cleaning.
Peter knows the site like the back of his hand with his Arcadian journey dating way back to 2016 before he TUPE transferred into we clean in 2020.
This high profile and public facing contract is overseen by Contract Manager Debbie Rhodes but it is Peter who plays the important and critical ‘team leading’ role in which he brings a great deal of adaptability and commitment from 6am in the morning whilst much of the City sleeps.
The presentation of this year’s Pride Champion Award has been extra heartfelt for the we clean management team with Peter tragically losing his son just over 12 months ago. Understandably, it has been an incredibly tough 12 months for Peter who has spent time mourning his loss whilst still trying to integrate himself back into work and play his part in leading the team to deliver service excellence across the Estate.
Peter with his Pride Champion Award.
Peter has had the company’s full support over the past 12 months with Debbie, her management team and Jo Kinsella Centre Manager for the Arcadian being particularly attentive and supportive of Peters personal needs throughout this unimaginably sad period for him.
We recently sat down with Peter, to discuss his role, his vast experience on the estate and of course his recent Pride Champion Award:
Thanks for your time today, Peter! How long have you worked on the estate here at the Arcadian?
It feels like a lifetime ago, but I have been on the estate for just over 8 years, starting back in 2016 as an Estate Cleaning Operative before transferring across to we clean in 2020 following the successful tender process with managing agent LCP and taking on some Team Leading duties.
That time has flown by but for the most part I have really enjoyed working here where Jo Kinsella, Centre Manager together with our Contract Manager Debbie have always encouraged and supported a ‘real team ethos’ which makes us feel very appreciated.
Tell me about your role day to day here? I can imagine its rather varied and can be incredibly busy!
Yes, it can be a bit mad here at times but that’s the way we have always liked it.
Our main focus is the general upkeep of the centre, whether that’s the extensive car parking or central restaurant areas. We also liaise directly with each tenant to comprehensively manage the huge waste element which we ensure is properly recycled.
We have a pressure washing schedule to efficiently keep large areas of the Estate looking good at all times but when it’s freezing like today, we have to switch our focus to chewing gum removal and general litter picking duties.
The nature of the centre has changed over the past couple of years, with slightly less late-night dance venues and more restaurants which has altered the dynamic of the Estate – its probably a little calmer these days!
All of our roles here have to be very flexible, and things can change day to day but that’s what keeps things interesting and we always just get on with it.
Together with my colleagues we are pretty much round the clock with things ramping up on a Thursday through to Saturday dealing with the weekend rush.
You have been through a very tough time over the past 12 months, what does the Pride Champion Award mean to you?
I am really proud to receive this award and want to say a massive thank you to Debbie and Jo who have offered me so much support.
It has been a really difficult 12 months, and I have experienced a great deal of pain and I am still trying to process all those feelings of loss. I don’t think that battle will ever end but I am glad to be back working it has given me a focus.
I understand the importance of the award and appreciate the relevance of it all – what it means to David and Paul and the wider organisation.
Thanks for your time today Peter, is there anything else you want to add?
Just again a massive thank you to Jo Kinsella and the Arcadian Team who have offered real kindness and genuine friendship they continue to help me through the challenge over the last 12 months every day!
Also to the we clean Management Team, Debbie and the Directors David and Paul for their on-going help.
Nominated by Debbie Rhodes, she is full of praise and admiration for Peter, commenting:
“Pete’s strength of character has been truly amazing throughout the last 12 months. I have the utmost respect for Pete for what he’s been through and how he carries on after this awful incident.
Pete has gradually returned to work but with his son Ryan also having worked here in the past it has been understandably hard, however he is coping in his own way and finding strength in his work and being part of a great Cleaning Team on site who are not just his colleagues but genuine friends.
Pete has always been and still is one of the kindest, most reliable and hardest working person I have ever worked with. Nothing is ever too much trouble and his willingness to go above and beyond is second to none.
A massive well done on your Dee Richards Pride Champion Award Pete, you are so deserving of it!”
Peter pictured at the Arcadian Birmingham with his Pride Award.
Director Paul Concannon echoes Debbie’s comments:
“The Dee Richards Pride Champion Award is the highest accolade for staff recognition within our organisation identifying those unique group of individuals who really embrace our Company Ethos and who consistently go above and beyond to deliver service excellence to promote brand we clean.
What Peter has achieved this year on site at The Arcadian given the tragic personal loss of his dear son Ryan is unbelievable, our admiration for Pete has no bounds, he is a consummate gentleman who takes his role incredibly seriously taking real pride in making the Arcadian Estate a clean and safe place for the people of Birmingham to enjoy.
Peter we are immensely proud to have you in our team and even prouder to announce you as our 2024 Dee Richards Pride Award Champion, your commitment to your role is outstanding, and from the very bottom of our hearts – thank you!”