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The 2018 ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Winners!

We are delighted to announce our 2018 ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Winners!

All the successful recipients of this Award have received formal recognition of the notable contribution they have made to our business over the past 12 months, their individual commitment, dedication and sheer hard work provides a true reflection of what ‘Dee Richards’ offered to we clean over a 13-year period!

We would like to offer our huge congratulations to all our winners – thank you for embracing in full our Company Ethos – we clean and proud of it!

Our first ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Winner is Jean Green, Assistant Cleaning Manager at HORIBA MIRA’s Technology Park in Nuneaton. Jean’s 20 year experience of this expansive site has been invaluable, and she has played a major role in the day to day running of the contract since we clean began Daily Cleaning Services just over three years ago. Under the guidance of Site Cleaning Manager, Karen Lord, she has proven to be a most passionate and skilled operator whilst offering consistent enthusiasm to learn new processes to help drive cleaning standards upwards. Karen commented:

 “I have worked with Jean for three years now and she has honestly been fantastic, a total asset to both me and we clean, nothing is too much trouble for her and she is a brilliant member of the cleaning team. Her knowledge and experience helps me greatly and I can’t compliment her enough!”

The second Pride Award Winner is Camisha Webb, our longest standing Cleaning Operative who has worked on numerous sites and contracts throughout her 15 year period with the Company. A real example of how professionalism and reliability coupled with a desire to listen and learn leads to a successful career, Camisha is now Location Manager at the iconic Colmore Gate Building in Central Birmingham. Debbie Rhodes, Contract Manager has formed a particularly close bond with Camisha, saying:

“Camisha has blossomed throughout her time with we clean, taking everything in her stride she is a very good natured person, with an infectious laugh. Her cleaning team and our client contact have the utmost respect for her and she is very deserving of the Pride Award!”

Antonio Leite picked up a Pride Award for all of his hard work, diligence to do the job right and enthusiasm at the historic British Motor Museum in Gaydon. This popular tourist attraction is very much in the public eye, so attention to detail is critical and Antonio doesn’t leave this to chance and takes great pride in the presentation of the extensive expanse of highly polished vinyl flooring across site that he cares for daily! Alongside delivering an exceptional cleaning service, Antonio is always polite, helpful and immaculately uniformed, helping the Motor Museum and we clean make the right first impression. Overseeing Antonio is Dave Barr, Site Cleaning Manager who said:

“Over the last couple of years I can’t fault him, he has been outstanding. He’s very reliable and hardworking, and anything I ask of him he always gives 100%. His supervision of the team when I’m not on site is tremendous, and he makes my role a lot easier, so he is a very deserving of the Pride Award, and full credit to him!”

The fourth ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Winner is Anna Uminska, who helps deliver Daily Cleaning Services to Stratford Medical Centre on behalf of CBRE. Anna has been a great addition to the company, she has unbounded energy, a real appetite for hard work, is extremely bright and has thrived with having responsibility for the on-site cleaning team.  Robb Paton, Contract Manager commented:

“Anna’s punctuality stands out, a bright and hard-working Cleaning Operative, both her and the team have done a great job since the start of the contract in February of 2018. Her knowledge and experience of the site has been invaluable in delivering an excellent service!”

Our next Pride Award Winner is Berris Hylton, who heads up the Stadium Cleaning Team at The Hawthorns, the home of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. We began cleaning operations for the Baggies in the summer of 2018 and Berris showed his incredible aptitude for stadia cleaning motivating his team through example and ensuring the 26,688 seater ground received a very through Deep Clean before the commencement of 2018/19 season. Berris is now working closely with Contract Manager Jane Shields and Match Day Co-ordinator Lee Gordon to ensure that the Hawthorns remains immaculate throughout the season providing pre Match, Match Day and Post Day Cleaning in all weathers! Director Paul Concannon commented:

“I have total respect for this man – he sets a fantastic example to the rest of the team through ‘actions’ not words. We and West Bromwich Albion are very lucky to have someone in the team who cares so passionately in ensuring that the Hawthorns always looks its absolute best for match day – our Dee would certainly have been a Berris fan”

 

In addition to Berris, the Company also identified the outstanding contribution Apaphan Rogers has made to the successful contract start with West Bromwich Albion. As our sixth Award winner Apaphan’s attitude is second to none, and Jane Shields, Contract Manager, made the following observation:

“Apaphan is a brilliant Cleaning Op, she’s always got a smile on her face, so positive and friendly! To succeed working within a large stadium you have to work hard and be very mobile, but she is up to the challenge, a top member of the team!”

The seventh Pride Award Winner is Kewina Byfield, who plays a pivotal role as part of our large Cleaning Team at the iconic Birmingham Hippodrome, however it is her role working under the guidance of Contract Manager, Debbie Rhodes at Gateley Plc’s Birmingham Head Office as site Location Manager where she has really excelled. Gateley Plc have been a loyal and longstanding we clean client and the level of service provided during the past 12 months has never been better and this testimony to the commitment Kewina has offered to her role. Debbie commented:

“Kewina has grown fantastically well within we clean, as a business we always look to set the bar for cleaning within Birmingham, and Kewina has fully bought into this and displays it during every single cleaning shift.”

The eighth person to receive a Pride Award is Ken Jones, who carries out Estate Cleaning and Waste Management Services as part of the Brindleyplace Estates Service Team. Up bright and early every morning, Ken operates outside throughout the cold British winter as well as dry and hot summers (well sometimes) and is a very capable, trusted and likeable member of this large full time service team! Brindleyplace has positioned itself as Birmingham’s premier business and tourist destination and as a result, all area’s of the site must be in pristine condition, for all 365 days of the year and Ken certainly plays his part as Darren McLean Estates Cleaning Manager noted:

“Ken is a very loyal member of the team, he’s been operating on the Estate for 13 years and is my right hand man here. He really takes care and is attentive, he ensures the right job is carried out in the right manner and is very worthy of the award.”

Also a part of the Brindleyplace Estates Team is our ninth Pride Award Winner, Glenville Blidgeon, who always works with a huge smile on his face and genuinely loves what he does on a day to day basis which is infectious across the rest of the team! Like Ken, Glenville has to meet the demands of one of Birmingham’s most popular business and leisure destinations and Darren McLean is full of praise for Glenville stating:

“Glenville is an absolute pleasure to work with, he loves working at Brindley with the team and he loves we clean, this passion shines through to his work and he’s always got a smile on his face. Not a bad word to say about him, he’s a brilliant team member!”

The final ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Winner is Julia Morris, Housekeeper and longstanding member of the Brindleyplace Internal Cleaning Team. Julia brings a determined focus and effort each and every time she signs in, helping to bring an extra sparkle to the modern office spaces within the Brindley buildings. Julia’s presentation is impeccable and her polite professional manner helps to make a positive upon the high profile clients who occupy tenanted space within this landmark commercial district of Birmingham.  

Karen And The Team Go Above And Beyond At Christmas

It was a special occasion on Wednesday night as Karen Lord, Site Cleaning Manager at HORIBA MIRA along with her Assistant, Jean Green continued a special Christmas tradition, the HORIBA MIRA and we clean Pizza Party!

The MIRA Cleaning Team donned their Christmas jumpers and hats for a festive pizza party!

Thrown annually just before Christmas, this gathering of the MIRA Cleaning Staff, we clean Directors, Paul Concannon & David Harker along with we clean Health & Safety Manager, David Holmes-McClure and MIRA Client Contact, Mark Rogers is not only about enjoying pizza, but an important time for the team to gather as a whole and reflect on the tremendous work they have carried out over the past year. 

Director, Paul Concannon commented: 

“What Karen and the team are doing here is incredibly unique, as a company we put so much emphasis on integrity and team work, and they completely embody that. To see such a large group of Cleaning Staff with fantastic camaraderie, smiles on their faces and a passion for their roles is really special, and i’m so proud of each and every member of staff!”

With military like precision, all food was ordered in advance and menu’s were set out for the staff as they finished their evening cleaning shifts, with each menu having an individual raffle ticket for different prizes which were picked later in the evening! 

Jean Green pictured with the raffle prizes and food hamper!

David Merry was the recipient of a Christmas Hamper donated by the team, which included an array of food, and highlighted the generosity within the team, and the strong team spirit. Karen Lord commented:

“The Christmas Food Hamper couldn’t have gone to a more deserving person, David’s work ethic is brilliant and he’s an integral part of the team. It was brilliant to see how happy he was when receiving the hamper, and it’s great to see how much it meant to him.”

David Berry with Directors, Paul & David and Jean Green.

Mark Rogers, our Client Contact and HORIBA MIRA’s Facilities & Maintenance Manager was also present on Wednesday night and was thoroughly impressed with that he saw, saying:

“I had a great time, it was a pleasure seeing all of Karen’s teams together and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I was truly humbled that they had taken it on themselves to get together and help one of the team who has been going through a rough time. To see the strength of team spirit that has been fostered by Karen and Jean is inspiring.”

The team got creative with their tabards!

David Harker and Karen Lord engage in a loving embrace!

The we clean tabards were expertly decorated to fit into the Christmas theme!

Mastering Our Management Approach, At The MAC!

This past Thursday saw our Management Team gather at the much loved Birmingham educational and arts venue, and also a long standing we clean contract, the MAC,  for our annual Management Day.

The we clean Management Team at The MAC!

This key day within the we clean calendar provides the perfect opportunity for Directors and Management Staff within our organisation to take a step back from their day to day working life and reflect on the past year, as well as look ahead to the next year. As always, Directors Paul and David aim to motivate and empower the team to go above and beyond and continue to deliver the exceptional cleaning service we are renowned for. 

Careful and honest reflection throughout the day allows the team to assess areas for improvement, and highlight aspects of our service delivery that haven’t met our high standards, but also to identify the many things we are doing right, so we can continue to grow and cement our position as a leading cleaning provider within Birmingham.

The day kicked off with Paul and David presenting the year’s financial figures, before moving onto an in-depth look at our client list and the new accounts we have added. Two vital aspects of our business, Training and Health & Safety, were analysed extensively, and David Holmes-McClure, Health & Safety Manager ensured each individual was up to speed on the ever changing H&S legislation.

Up next was something a little different for our team, as Performance Master Coach and ex-professional footballer, Mel Eves, delivered a presentation on optimising performance, looking at life with a new perspective, and developing a winner’s mind-set.

Mel had an illustrious career playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and even represented England on the international stage, so it was a real honour for Directors and Management of we clean to be able to learn from the mind of an elite sportsman, with Director, Paul Concannon commenting:

“It was great to have Mel spare a few hours out of his busy schedule to provide some insight to our Management Team on how they can maximise their performance and deliver outstanding results for our clients and teams of cleaning staff. Certainly all the Managers at the end of the session were suitably enthused by Mel’s interesting perspective on improving performance.”

Directors, Paul Concannon and David Harker pictured with Mel.

To round off the day, Sean Wright, Contract Management Support received his 10 Year Service Award. Sean epitomises everything that our organisation stands for, his working life for we clean started under the guidance of the late Dee Richards, and he has embodied all of her great qualities, and throughout his 10 years with the business he has shown incredible commitment and dedication, and delivered consistently high levels of cleaning. Sean was our inaugural ‘Dee Richards’ Pride Award Champion in 2015, and this award was a testament to his work ethic and passion for the cleaning industry.

Sean Wright receiving his 10 Year Service Award.

Once again the Senior Management Team at we clean would like to place on record their sincere thanks to Damien Vincent, Head of Customer Services at the MAC, and his team for looking after us so impeccably well throughout the day!

Anne Park, 65 Years YOUNG!

Anne Park celebrated her birthday in style this past Wednesday (14^{th Nov}) as we clean Directors, Paul Concannon and David Harker along with Anita Gough, our client contact at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents came together to commemorate her 65^th birthday with a special lunch at The High Field in Edgbaston.

Anne Park enjoying lunch with we clean Directors, Paul Concannon & David Harker and Anita Gough, RoSPA Facilities and Health & Safety Manager.

Our longest serving Cleaning Operative, Anne has been with the company from 2005, showing incredible loyalty and a desire to succeed throughout her 13 and a half years with the organisation.

As Location Manager Anne oversees a Cleaning Team at RoSPA’s Head Office on Calthorpe Road and has grown to be a true ambassador for we clean, carrying out her cleaning duties in a professional manner. In addition, during her time with we clean Anne was the principal Housekeeper at St Mary’s Convent Handsworth where she became an integral part of the daily operations at this historical home of the ‘Sisters of Mercy’ in Birmingham and she still maintains a close ‘personal’ relationship with the Sisters since retiring from this post in 2015.

Anne has had an extensive and rewarding career within the Cleaning Industry for over 40 years, providing the solid foundations and experiences to provide outstanding levels of service with a full comprehension of safe working practices which is crucial when working within the Head Quarters of RoSPA.  

Anita Gough, RoSPA Facilities and Health & Safety Manager, commented:

“we clean have been an approved Cleaning Contractor at our Head Office Facility in Edgbaston for over a decade now and Anne and her committed team have been instrumental in delivering excellent cleaning standards on a daily basis. Nothing is ever too much trouble and it was a real pleasure to be able to attend the lunch that David and Paul arranged to mark Anne’s 65^th Birthday.”

Anita Gough and Anne have formed a close relationship.

Anne is held in high regard at RoSPA’s Head Office, and it’s a testament to how well she has carried out her cleaning role over the years that she received an invitation to be a part of RoSPA’s Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, which was hosted by HRH The Duke Of York and HRH Princess Eugenie of York. This special event will be remembered as a real highlight when Anne reflects on her career within the cleaning industry, with Anne saying:

“The garden party was a huge pleasure, and it has been a huge pleasure knowing Paul and David, they feel like family and I’m really grateful for the special birthday lunch and flowers that they gifted. They have been there for me 100% of the time.”

Anne’s invitation to RoSPA’s Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

Paul Concannon, we clean Director echoed Anne’s sentiment commenting:

“Anne has been a loyal and totally committed employee of the business over a 13 year period, she is an extremely experienced Cleaning Operative who has been in the industry for many years, so has a wealth of knowledge that she has been able to impart on numerous Cleaning Staff who have worked within her teams at both RoSPA and St Mary’s Convent. Anne has an unbounding enthusiasm for her work and belies her age, but everybody at we clean would like to wish Anne all the very best in health and happiness on this landmark birthday!”