Leicestershire Cares Awards 2018: winners

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 30 May 2018

UPDATED: 30 May 2018

Employers and their staff who give their time to local people needing a helping hand have been celebrated in the 2018 Leicestershire Cares Awards.

The Midlands construction contractor Stepnell was named Company of the Year and won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Community Safety – both awards recognising Stepnell’s commitment to providing work placements for people wanting to start working in construction.

Stepnell regional director Thomas Sewell said:

“We strongly value our involvement with Leicestershire Cares and are delighted to have been able to support the charity by providing opportunities for local people looking for a fresh start by arranging placements on our construction sites.

“In a number of cases, these placements have turned into full-time jobs. That’s something we’re very proud of and an excellent demonstration of how construction schemes can achieve a positive impact on the wider community. We are absolutely delighted to receive these two awards and look forward to continuing to work with Leicestershire Cares in the future.”

The Volunteer of the Year is Stephen Gould, the managing director Everards Brewery, for his ongoing support for Speedy Speakers, and nurturing other new speakers to come forward. Speedy Speakers sees five-minute inspirational speeches given to secondary school pupils by employers.

Businesses and their volunteers gathered at Winstanley House in Leicester to celebrate the past year’s achievements and to find out who had won the awards.

The businesses and their employees volunteer with Leicestershire Cares who broker partnerships and create opportunities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland that enable the business sector to understand community needs, contribute to the growth of inclusive, safe communities and to support and inspire children and young people in their transition to the workplace.

Winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Community Development is the fashion retailer Joules, for its outstanding enthusiasm for everything its staff do and the impact they have had on so many community groups, in particular Bower House in Market Harborough.

Outstanding Contribution to Education went to Checkprint, for its continued involvement with Go for Reading at Hinckley Academy, its ten Number Partner volunteers at Battling Brook Primary School, numerous Interview Technique and Employability events including CV workshops and an Education Team Challenge.

The award for the Outstanding Contribution to Children and Young People was won by Leicester City Council’s Bereavement Services, for supporting Flying Fish and YES project clients to do horticultural work placements and volunteering at Saffron Hill Cemetery.

Two awards for Outstanding Support to Leicestershire Cares were presented, to Access for its support with the charity’s IT and to Samworth Brothers for its support with the catering at many Leicestershire Cares events.

Kieran Breen, director of Leicestershire Cares, said: