RoSPA HEALTH & SAFETY AWARDS 2017 REVIEW
and most vulnerable members of our society. A ‘Keeping
Kids Safe’ pack has been designed to provide straight
forward, life-saving advice, which is full of helpful tips and
tools around topics ranging from domestic poisonings
to detecting fires. The aim is to distribute these packs
free-of-charge, through RoSPA’s well-established networks
of local partners including community midwives, health
visitors and children’s centres. This requires fund raising
from individuals and organisations alike - the more money
raised, the more ‘Keeping Kids Safe’ packs can be provided
for families.
DJ, journalist and Heart FM radio personality Ed James
was the lead announcer and host for the evening’s
Presentation Ceremony. Ed did a great job warming
everybody up - his enthusiastic manner and dry wit
certainly helped boost audience participation. There was a
friendly request for photographs using a variety of novelty
props to be tweeted with the hashtag #RoSPAWinner. A
prize for the funniest photograph tweeted was an even
greater encouragement.
A scrumptious looking first course of dinner was served
to guests, while w e were kindly invited backstage for
refreshments with RoSPA staff and Toastmaster, Ian Low.
Following the short break for starters, Ed James welcomed
Lord Jordan CBE and Errol Taylor back onto the stage to
announce the highest accolades of this years’ awards.
First up was the Archangel Award, a top honour for
individuals, which was presented to Chris Wood, a trainer
at Marlborough Surfacing Ltd. Chris was inspired to launch
training sessions after he suffered an accident working as
a site operative, sustaining injuries that left him unable to
continue in his former position. After several months of
rehabilitation, he was offered the opportunity to return
to work in a different role - as an in-house safety trainer
for the company’s workforce. Chris has since delivered
safety training to more than 400 staff at Marlborough
Surfacing. Chris was also recognised for his work with the
company’s transport department. He has helped to induct
new employees and to monitor vehicle safety standards.
Chris graciously accepted the award with an enthusiastic
celebration, raising his arms in triumph to thunderous
applause!
Second up was Jennifer Cottrell, Energy Manager &
Environmental Advisor at Keltbray Limited, who won the
‘Highly Commended’ category of the International Dilmun
Environmental Award. This award recognises excellence in
environmental as well as health and safety management.
The overall Winner of the International Dilmun
Environmental Award was Ian Chalk, Head of EHS at
Gatwick Airport Ltd – Operations. Ed James jokingly
announced, “Ian has just been saying he is so chuffed to
have won, he is going to give everyone free flights tonight!”
The comment caused much laughter and commotion, as
we’re sure you can imagine.
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HSE INTERNATIONAL
Next up was Karen Armitage, Chief Executive at
Stafford and Rural Homes Ltd, who was the winner of
the Occupational Health Award, also known as the Astor
Trophy. She was followed by Gary Dukes, Managing
Director at Vulcan Refractories Limited, who won the
Workforce Involvement in Safety & Health Trophy.
Concluding the evening presentations was the
announcement of the final award and top accolade - the
coveted Sir George Earle Trophy. Introducing the award, Ed
James said:
“To win this, you’ve got to prove yourself time and time
again. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, there’s lots of
interviews and there’s lots of hoops to jump through. This
company has proven themselves to be the best of the best
of the best.
“The judges have been hugely impressed by the example
set - by the way this company manages its health and safety
responsibilities. They said there was a tangible feeling
of personal responsibility at both branch and site level,
showing it to be important and integral to the business
culture.”
The award was collected by Karl Whiteman, Divisional
Managing Director at Berkeley Homes (East Thames)
Limited, to a standing ovation.
As a lighthearted conclusion, the winner of the funniest
tweeted photo was declared and the shot was projected
onto the stage TV screens for the whole room to see.
Dinner resumed along with celebrations that continued into
the night. We left the awards, pleased to have been a part
of such a prestigious and celebratory event.
A
fter the event, we spoke to Archangel Award winner
Chris Woods and asked how it felt when his name
was announced on the night.
“I was blown away when I won the RoSPA Archangel
Award, as I didn’t expect to win it at all! I never thought
I could win an award just for doing my job. I’m proud of
being recognised as someone who is passionate about
safety, and aim to continue improving the H&S culture and
habits of my colleagues in and out of the workplace.”
W
e’d like to give huge thanks and express our
gratitude to RoSPA for being so welcoming and
for giving us the opportunity to cover the awards
first hand. Health and safety is so often viewed as a burden
(the latest media debacle about the silencing of Big Ben
is a prime example!), so it was a pleasure to join forces
and celebrate the accomplishments of health and safety
professionals who absolutely deserve the credit.
Information regarding the 2018 scheme will be launched in Autumn/
Winter 2017.