North Warwickshire Co-op staff line up to get their Oscars

Nov 7 2008

By Emma Ray

STAFF in Nuneaton and Bedworth branches of the Heart of England Co-operative Society are celebrating a string of awards. They picked up gongs in this year's Outstanding Service to Customers and Staff (OSCAS) ceremony. Mel Palmer, Lorraine Walton, Archie Hughes and staff at Bedworth Travel and Atherstone Shopping Centre all picked up awards for their commitment to the society over the past 12 months. This year’s event, held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Bickenhill, near Birmingham, was attended by around 270 colleagues who turned out in force to see their counterparts rewarded for their dedication. Now in its sixth year, the event was hosted by Central TV weather girl Emma Jesson. Lorraine Walton won the gold award for the non-retail division employee of the year. Lorraine, an assistant wage supervisor with the society, said: “It is lovely to be singled out when the award could have gone to one of so many of my fantastic colleagues throughout the society." And Archie Hughes, an electrician with the Heart of England Co-op, picked up the silver award for the non-retail division employee of the year. Archie, who has worked for the society for six years, said: “I am positively shocked. I came to the OSCAS last year and someone told me as a joke I had won a silver. "To win one this time feels fantastic.” Mel Palmer, an admin clerk who has been with the society for just 15 months, was praised for her hard work, enthusiasm and cheerful attitude in the distribution centre. She picked up the silver award for the non-food division employee of the year. The 29-year-old said: “I’m a bit shocked to win this OSCAS having not been here very long but it’s come as a lovely surprise.” The team at Bedworth Travel picked up a gold award for the society’s non-food store of the year. Judges highlighted the team’s performance in achieving a strong sales growth despite adverse trading conditions. And Atherstone Shopping Centre won the non-food store of the year silver award. Again judges highlighted the Shopping Centre team’s sales growth during tough market conditions, making particular mention of their achievements in both furniture and electrical sales. Overall winner of the employee of the year title this year was Keresley woman Pamela Sharman, store manager of the newly-refurbished Lateshop in Norman Place Road, Coundon, Coventry. Pamela, who joined the society in 1984, won the gold award for the food division before winning the overall society employee of the year. The mother-of-three, who lives in Keresley with husband Wayne and sons Nathan, Christopher and Joshua, said: “I was absolutely trembling when I won the award. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t set out to win any awards at all but I take pride in my job and I’m not happy going home at the end of the day until my work is done.” Ali Kurji, chief executive of the society, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to all our OSCAS winners who regularly go the extra mile for the benefit of customers and fellow employees. “Our winners this year have each shown an exceptional level of commitment to the society but choosing them from 1,000 employees was not easy. “We now look forward to next year’s OSCAS when other members of staff will have the chance to shine.”