Wendy Pugh
Nominated by: Gaynor Delaney
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination: Wendy Pugh is a senior Facilities Management Officer working at County Hall. Having worked for DCC for so many years, she has experienced significant change in staff structures, organisational culture and working practices. She embraces that change with her customary positivity and can do attitude. She manages the team that oversees all events at County Hall in addition to the usual day to day business of a major administration site. This can vary from managing a protest to ensure everyone is able to protest peacefully whilst ensuring that others are kept safe, overseeing a change of administration ensuring everyone has what they need, juggling spaces to accommodate unexpected events, ensure weddings are organised to provide a memorable day and ensuring to ensuring that all staff working at County Hall do so in a comfortable environment. Wendy is known to all and can be relied upon to solve whatever challenge is set in front of her. She has experienced serious illness before and has overcome that. Sadly this has recently returned. To date, Wendy has continued to perform her duties and remains determined to do so as she goes forward with her treatment. As her Head I value the work that she does and know that County Hall is in a safe pair of hands with her at the helm of her team.
Rebecca Weeks
Nominated by: Summa Watson
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Rebecca is the team member who goes on a Saturday shopping trip with her partner and arrives at work Monday morning with contacts and new opportunities for our supported employment team. She's enthusiastic to do any of her tasks, is always offering to support other team members where needed and really good at engaging with clients and the public. She passionately believes in the work we do within public health and is empowered and empowers other team members to give their best. As a person with Cerebral Palsy and a wheelchair user she is a fantastic role model and happy to share her experiences with colleagues to create a work place with a more open, diverse and accepting culture. This year she has been reaching out to employers and collaborating with other teams and stakeholders. She has great ideas which she brings to the team - innovation! She’s a fantastic member of the team.
Sandra Owen
Nominated by: Nicola Perry
Department: Children's Services
Reason for nomination:Sandra Owen has been the glue that holds the team together during my team in CIC for Erewash. She is thoroughly organised and support wherever she can whilst ensuring we are all meeting needs and developing independence for the children in our care. She is passionate and professional. I believe she deserves employee of the year.
Sue Mason
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination: Since joining the Sports Outdoor Residential Education team at Whitehall in Buxton just over a year ago, Sue Mason has made a significant contribution as Business Services Officer. She joined the team at a challenging time, during staff shortages and the departure of a long-standing colleague, and quickly established herself as a dependable and forward-thinking member of the team. Sue has modernised outdated systems, embedded the No PO, No Pay policy, reduced paper-based processes, and introduced efficiencies that have improved workflows and enhanced the experience for staff and children alike. She manages a diverse team of Business Services Assistants, cooks, caretakers, and cleaning staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Her calm, hands-on approach and clear communication have strengthened team resilience and morale. Sue’s versatility is evident in her willingness to step in wherever needed – cooking meals, assisting with maintenance, and even herding the occasional stray sheep. She has also worked weekends to ensure residential courses could go ahead without disruption. Her dedication, adaptability, and people-focused leadership make her a valued colleague and a strong nominee for Employee of the Year.
Rachael Ragg
Nominated by: Tanya Brown
Department: Children's Services
Reason for nomination: Rachael joined the team in 2022 and throughout this time, Rachael has consistently provided excellent support for her families and goes above and beyond what is expected on her, sometimes at the expense of her own wellbeing and work, life balance Rachael has worked hard with the families allocated to achieve positive outcomes however there is 1 child Rachael has worked with who really stands out! This young person has been known for several years. Sadly, his mum has a high level of needs herself, being paraplegic and required an intense package of support. This young person’s weight remained a constant worry and he was very thin. There were unrealistic expectations of mum to write a food diary which she could not physically do. Rachael therefore made daily contact to complete the food diary. This child’s weight was being put down to neglect however with Rachael’s perseverance, he was admitted to hospital where it was identified he had a brain tumour. This was incredibly upsetting and at times, the prognosis was unclear however what we do know is that the outcome for this child could have been very different if Rachael had not persevered. Rachael has worked incredibly with wider professionals and mum to get the right support in place. This young person is now in foster care and is being a child and having opportunities he has never had before. He speaks incredibly positively of the support in place and Rachael has worked collaboratively with mum and carers to ensure this relationship remains. Rachael presented this child at a practice week in March 2025 and the young person also created a song which was shared and I think I can speak for most and say there were not many dry eyes by the end of the presentation. Rachael is an absolute inspiration and a credit to DCC and her profession!!
Ben Taylor
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Ben Taylor Successfully engaged Derbyshire residents in accessing support for loan sharking and affordable credit project. Internal and external agency partnership to monitor and address the need of residents accessing these services and making a difference to their lives.
Joie Cain
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Joie Cain is a truly outstanding representative of Derbyshire County Council in her role as Regional Delivery Officer for Prevent within the Community Safety Team. In her role, she covers the county to engage with partners and the public to raise awareness of the Prevent programme and train professionals to spot the signs that someone may be susceptible to radicalisation. Her love of her work is infectious - she exudes positivity and is great at engaging audiences of different ages. She has built lasting relationships with many schools and education settings in a short space of time. Her excellent reputation secures numerous repeat training bookings and our partners know they can trust her for solid advice and support. She demonstrates innovation by constantly amending and improving her practice to reflect the changing landscape of Prevent and she is accountable for delivering sessions of the highest quality. I believe her work has directly impacted the number of people that we are able to safeguard in Derbyshire, which is region-leading. Joie has smashed her own engagement targets in 2024/25 and pushes herself to provide the best service she can for the residents of Derbyshire. She collaborates with our colleagues at Derby City and the East Midlands Region to share best practice and keep up to date with emerging trends. I find working with Joie empowering – not only is she great at what she does, but she offers support and praise to others which keeps them going on difficult days.
Chloe Eyre
Nominated by: Jackie Chamberlain
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I would like to nominate Chloe Eyre (Senior Practitioner) for the Employee of the Year Award. Chloe is in a unique role in Amber Valley, her focus being to support staff in undertaking effective safeguarding investigations whilst seeking to achieve improved outcomes and safety for those vulnerable adults at risk in the area. It was identified that many safeguarding referrals that were being received in the area, staff were struggling to focus and access dedicated time and support to undertake timely investigations. Since her start date, Chloe has worked tirelessly to identify the barriers to achieving good results. In doing so, Chloe has developed new processes in the area and championed different ways of working. Chloe dedicates her time by not only offering verbal guidance and support but willingly provides physical support too. This has helped staff to better understand their role and responsibility and to remain focussed on continuing to reduce risk and improve outcomes for the vulnerable adult involved. Being visibly engaged has also allowed Chloe to identify areas of development, where she has worked collaboratively with her Senior Practitioner colleagues in the Amer Valley area to develop learning opportunities. Although safeguarding referrals continue to be received, whilst Chloe has been in her role she has helped improve the standard of work (this being demonstrated in the recent safeguarding audit) as well as achieving more timely progress and reduced risk for those people exposed to harm. Also, in one team the amount of outstanding safeguarding investigations has halved. Chloe clearly demonstrates passion and dedication in her work. She is approachable, empathic and value based which attracts many compliments and expressions of gratitude from her colleagues and managers. Well Done, Chloe, you are very worthy of this award.
Jak French
Nominated by: Stephen Brown
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination: Jak is an excellent leader who knows how to set clear goals and support a team in achieving them. He is always available for guidance but never micromanaging, excels in turning challenges into opportunities and remains open minded about adopting new ideas and exploring industry trends. Exceptional teamwork skills. Jak is always willing to collaborate and support his peers and colleagues, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment. Working with conflicting priorities, re-mapping programs to meet objectives head on and dealing with variable outcomes is demanding and Jak embraces change with both passion and energy to ensure the Council gets the best results wherever he is involved. On a technical level, Jak consistently provides actionable advice that has consistently led to positive outcomes and always brings positive energy and creative solutions to every project. Often working in a high pressured environment due to system failures, Jak demonstrates strong, calm leadership focussing on completing the task in the most efficient and effective manner. This was most recently demonstrated following a high number of school boiler failures occurring simultaneously. Jak leads a multi-disciplinary team of experts across a wide range of technical areas in electrical and mechanical services. Jak demonstrates deep understanding of his industry and ability to explain complex concepts in a simple way enables multi-disciplinary teams to focus on the key deliverables whilst striving to deliver projects on time and in budget. Working his way up through Property Maintenance Jak leads by example and role models council behaviours to his broad team and colleagues he comes into contact with. Jak has certainly had another very good year in performing consistently in challenging circumstances.
Rebecca Weeks
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I nominate Rebecca Weeks for the Employee of the Year Award in recognition of their exceptional service, positive attitude, and consistent delivery of excellence in their role. Rebecca demonstrates a strong commitment to both internal and external customers, always ensuring their needs are met with care, professionalism, and efficiency. Their customer service is thoughtful and responsive, and they regularly receive positive feedback for going above and beyond. What makes Rebecca stand out is not only her ability to meet expectations, but her drive to exceed them. She makes the best use of available resources, thinks proactively, and is always looking for ways to improve the way we work. Her contributions have had a tangible impact, whether developing new and innovative approaches or streamlining processes to improve outcomes. Rebecca brings a consistently positive attitude and lots of humour to every situation. She is supportive of her colleagues, generous with her time, and willing to step in wherever needed – often without being asked. She is calm under pressure, approachable, and solution-focused. A recent example of their exceptional performance: Rebecca has led the work of the Disability Employment Partnership forum where local employers come and talk about career opportunities and inclusive recruitment to employment partners from across Derbyshire. Rebecca has tripled the membership/attendance at this forum to almost 100 and has attracted employers such as Lush, Amazon, Lidl, Chatsworth to present opening up a wealth of new opportunities for our clients. Rebecca embodies our values in everything she does — reliable, kind, supportive, and always striving to make a difference. Their consistent excellence, combined with a specific standout contribution, makes them an ideal candidate for this award.
Angela Burns
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I am nominating Angela Burns, Supported Employment Officer, for the Employee of the Year Award in recognition of their outstanding commitment to supporting individuals into meaningful work and transforming lives across our community. Ange consistently delivers exceptional service to some of our most vulnerable residents. Her approach is rooted in empathy, dignity, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals with barriers to employment. Whether supporting someone through their first interview or helping to build confidence after a setback, Ange always offers unwavering encouragement and tailored support. Their positive attitude is infectious. Colleagues regularly comment on Ange's willingness to go the extra mile—not just for the people they support, but for their team. They are generous with their time, a great listener, and always ready to step in when needed. Ange makes excellent use of available resources, working creatively within constraints to deliver lasting impact. She has built strong partnerships with local employers, opened doors to new opportunities, and found innovative ways to prepare participants for the world of work. One standout example is the Disability Employment Jobs Fair that Ange arranged in Chesterfield which was visited by over 100 individuals seeking support, advice and employment. Through their day-to-day work, Ange quietly delivers consistent, meaningful results.
Paula Greveson
Nominated by: Sonia Dean
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I am nominating Paula Greveson for Employee of The Year. As our duty worker she has a thorough knowledge of both statutory and third sector services and how to tap into them. She supports Derbyshire residents as well as colleagues in our team and OOHs. She supports other professional’s (e.g. GPs with CHC fast tracks). She has embraced and strives consistently to ensure people are safe, while delivering our goals. The work she has done has meant our team has manageable open safeguarding’s and our allocations have been reduced to ensure people receive the service that they need quickly and efficiently. She has developed our team and will triage and prioritise more critical work utilising individual’s strengths, she will then direct work to the best person placed to deal with specific issues. She holds herself accountable for all duty work and supports colleagues who may be struggling to develop the skills and values that she has, to maintain the safety of Derbyshire residents. She is a completely reliable colleague, she’s supportive and always volunteers to help the service when there is challenging work that needs to be undertaken. She’s a knowledgeable and hard-working professional and when she’s on shift we know that we can trust her work and she will be focussed on doing the right thing to support anyone she works with. She always comes with a positive attitude to work and is good company. She’s an asset to Derbyshire, Bolsover South and OOHs. She is a very diligent and very caring colleague. She always goes the extra mile for the service and is very client focussed. She always wants to achieve positive outcomes for our clients. Her commitment to her work and the support she gives to her peers is exceptional.
Sam Bradwell
Nominated by: Dan Riley
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination: In her role as HR Advice & Support Lead, Sam has offered us exceptional support during the past year with some difficult HR issues. She has always been available as a first port of call for us when we needed her and has freely given of her time to talk through the potential options with what have been often emotive situations for everyone involved. When we have felt out of our depth, Sam's calm and efficient approach has been very welcome. She has a brilliant working knowledge of DCC’s HR processes, and she has used this to give us the confidence to work through some difficult situations regarding attendance and performance management to the satisfaction of everyone concerned. Due to her support, we have been able to work through each situation calmly and efficiently and have been able to give our staff a full picture of the options open to them and the implications of each. Sam is approachable and personable, she is a good listener, has an open mind and is empathetic. However, she can be firm when it’s required, and she ensures that everyone sticks to the correct processes, and she ensure that everyone is treated fairly. Finally, she has been great when we have had to deliver bad news to people. She has supported us to be straightforward and clear and we feel as though she has been there for us, should there be any comeback.
Jon Gouldbourne
Nominated by: Kay Mcintyre
Department: Place
Reason for nomination: Jon joined the Public Transport team in Place and has shown great integrity and leadership to a service which was under great pressure to revitalise our rural bus network for the citizens of Derbyshire following COVID. He has shown great leadership skills and has undertaken a secondment into a senior management role which he undertook with enthusiasm and vigour. He challenges working practices and helps to implement new ideas and processes and collaborates with wall levels of stakeholder and colleagues with professionalism and competency. His ideas and delivery have been exemplary and continue to be.
Jane Parke
Nominated by: Gemma Poulter
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I am nominating Jane Parke, Group Manager-Adult Social Care, for the Employee of the Year Award for the work she has led on across the whole of the department to improve access to Council-delivered enablement services for people who require support to maximise and maintain their independence. Prior to Jane's leadership of this project in 2025, fewer people requiring enablement services (upon discharge from hospital or to avoid unnecessary hospital or residential care home admission) were able to access these due to multiple triage and hand-off points as part of the process which resulted a less efficient use of enablement capacity and in a higher number of people receiving standard long-term homecare services or interim residential placements. Since the start of the project in 2025, Jane has engaged colleagues in reviewing and improving processes which has resulted in increased efficiency, reduced duplication of effort and a substantial reduction in the time taken to commence enablement services in people's own homes. At the same time, a significantly increased number of people are now able to access enablement services than was previously the case with 98% of requests for enablement in Erewash over the last period being met via that service. Qualitative and quantitative data shows that our enablement services supports Derbyshire residents to achieve excellent outcomes and an improved quality of life with approximately 50% of people achieving full independence with no need for long-term social care services resulting in no long term costs for the individual or for the local authority. A substantial percentage of the remaining 50% have increased independence at the end of the enablement service and have reduced needs for long-term services and reduced costs for the individual and the local authority.
Emily Gascoyne
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Nominating this person for their support during stresses in both work and personal life. This person has provided a listening ear and helpful suggestions which have helped myself navigate difficult situations. They are a credit to themselves and to the council.
Janice Taylor
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Children's Services
Reason for nomination: Janice collaborates well with all members of staff, often helping out with jobs not in her role. For example, today Janice offered to help our apprentice with her practice test ready for her upcoming end point assessment. Janice is open to new ideas and is willing to try anything. She is so supportive, making a constant effort to check in with people throughout the day. Overall, she is one of the kindest and most hardworking people I know and creates a lovely work environment.
Alison Vasey
Nominated by: Sara Martin
Department: Place
Reason for nomination: Alison has been the standout member of the Derbyshire Business Start Up Team since she joined it early in 2022. She was appointed as the Project Officer but very quickly took on levels of responsibility over and above the requirements of her role and she has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Derbyshire Business Start Up Scheme has achieved the levels of success it has. Alison proactively seeks the guidance and support of other DCC departments to make sure the Scheme is running as effectively and efficiently as it can be, and she has identified and driven numerous improvements so that it can be a shining example of what can be achieved. The Scheme is a collaborative project and Alison is continually working above and beyond to ensure that all of the participating local Boroughs and Districts receive the reporting information they require, and she has responded to requests for additional data by always delivering it with an added wow factor. Our clients have been fortunate to have Alison to help them through the grant funding process and where they have struggled to submit the correct documentation, she has patiently guided them through what’s required. She has shown a genuine interest in their successes and is always seeking opportunities to showcase their new businesses through a wide range of contacts that she is constantly adding to. Alison really has been the glue that has pulled the Start Up Team together. It is with her passion and commitment, that has gone way beyond the realms of her role, that many Derbyshire residents have been able to achieve their dreams and successfully start their own businesses. These are just some of the many reasons why Alison doesn’t just meet the nomination criteria but absolutely blows it out of the park.
Carol Elizabeth Taylor
Nominated by: Kathy Whiteley
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Carol is employed as a Business Services Assistant, based at the Derbyshire Eco Centre and has been employed by the council for many years. I have worked with Carol for nearly 3 years and have great admiration for her commitment to her role, performance, service we provide, and professional development despite having caring responsibilities for some of her family members. She has outstanding customer service skills and is extremely supportive towards learners, some of which have learning difficulties. She will always go that extra step and get to know the learners personally and support them as necessary. We had an incident where two of our learners were wanting to resign from their studies but because Carol spent time talking to and encouraging them, they returned to their studies and achieved their RHS qualification. There have been occasions when problems have arisen, and Carol has single handedly reached a resolve. Due to her line manager’s long-term sickness, subsequent retirement, and current recruitment freeze, Carol spends a lot of time working on her own in centre, ensuring that the centre continues to run smoothly. Carol is very flexible with her working hours and has accompanied Program Managers holding external marketing events to promote our service, outside her normal working pattern. Carol also shows great commitment to her personal development and within the last 12 months she has attended a Mental Health Awareness training event and has completed the Level 2 in Mentoring Award and is seeking to continue with her Mental Health Awareness studies.
Katie Foster
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Children's Services
Reason for nomination: I would like to nominate Katie Foster for employee of the year award. Katie has just progressed to grade 11 after completing her training in Frontline and subsequently her ASYE (assessed and supported year in employment). Katie is a valued member of the Children in Care Team in Amber Valley and as her supervisor I have observed her practice, and quality assured her written work including assessments and court work. Katie upholds social work values and has consistently through her practice delivered a 'good quality' service to children, young people, and their families in Derbyshire. She is an excellent advocate for children and young people, and she maintains a balanced and fair approach and exercises responsible stewardship. Katie has over the last year been an advocate of PPOC work and has successfully enabled children and young people to achieve permanency through special guardianship, long-term fostering or reunification. She actively listens to the child and demonstrates curiosity, and flexibility in terms of care planning with children and their families. Katie's positive attitude and support of children and their birth and foster families has enabled children to come out of care and for many children achieve a greater sense of stability through permanency.
Sam Henson
Nominated by: Louise Champion
Department: Children's Services
Reason for nomination: I have only met Sam through my work with the young person participation app Mind of My Own. Sam is a Community Care Worker and the lead user of Mind of My Own with children and young people within the Children with Disabilities Service. Because of this, Sam represents her whole service on the Mind of My Own steering group. I have worked with Sam to share her inspiring stories of how leading on, and using Mind of My Own has allowed her to develop relationships with young people and support them to share their wishes and feelings. This has then led me to producing case studies and other examples of her lived experiences and those of her case load of children and young people, to share with colleagues either not currently using the app, or for teams to explore the opportunities which may be replicated within their service. For Sam to be representing her service at this level, promoting the use of the app within her own service and externally is inspiring, and her experiences are an incredible insight for other more senior representatives on the Mind of My Own steering group. I hope these reasons alone are enough for me to nominate Sam for the Employee of the Year, as I can only imagine what the commitment to the rest of her role is.
Kate Charlton
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Kate Charlton is employed as a Health Improvement Worker and works in the Live Life Better Derbyshire Hub. On the 27th November 2024 Kate made what she thought was her final call of the day to a member of the public (X) to book him in for stop smoking support. Whilst talking to Kate, X disclosed that he was intending to take his own life. This unfortunately is not an uncommon scenario that LLBD staff have to respond to and we have provided staff with training and have a clear process to deal with these incidents. Kate considered that based upon the information that X shared with her that his threat of suicide was judged to be credible and serious and in accordance with our process was assessed as a Level 4 risk – immediate risk to life. X disclosed that he had made several previous attempts to commit suicide, had the means to do so (he had been accumulating pills) and intended to do so once the call ended. Our process worked well and Kate was able to escalate her concerns to a Manager who contacted 999. However the Manager were told it could be up to 11 hours before an ambulance could arrive and the police advised that it was an ambulance issue. The Manager tried to source other support for X e.g. contacting his GP but there was no response despite the surgery still being open. X refused to attend A & E. Kate continued to talk to X and another colleague (who is also a HIW) provided support to them. Both Kate and Susan were scheduled to leave work at 6pm. Kate continued to talk to X and Sue remained with her until 7.50pm when an ambulance eventually arrived. Kate showed the Derbyshire spirit by her compassion and empathy with a vulnerable member of the public and the fact that she stayed talking to X for almost 2 hours after her shift should have finished.
Jo Hollick
Nominated by: Helen Forster
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Jo has shown exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication, and visionary approach have transformed the Asset Plan Team, setting new standards for excellence in asset management. Jo has driven significant change, onboarding the Core Data Team, integrating data-driven methodologies, and ensuring that decision-making is informed by robust analysis and insight. Jo's commitment to efficiency and best practice has optimised processes, delivering tangible improvements that benefit both the council and the communities it serves. Jo consistently goes the extra mile, demonstrating an unparalleled level of dedication and resilience. Her leadership of the asset plan programme has been nothing short of transformational. The team challenges every asset the council owns, scrutinising opportunities with strategic foresight and a commitment to maximising value. The team's ambitious yet deliverable plans have redefined property exit strategies, successfully unlocking pathways to exit historically difficult properties—an achievement that has eluded many before them. Jo's innovative thinking and determination not only generated impressive financial and operational efficiencies but also embodies the council’s priority to transform to enable long-term delivery of sustainable services. Through collaboration, strategic execution, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence, Jo has positioned the Asset Plan Team as a leading team of forward-thinking asset management across the public sector. Often CIPFA has used the team as an example of excellence and best practice. Jo exemplifies the best of public service—driving meaningful impact and fostering a culture of ambition, innovation, and accountability.
Terri Rudwick
Nominated by: Steve Allen
Department: Place
Reason for nomination: The nominee, Terri Rudwick, has demonstrated exceptional people skills and emotional intelligence, as well as being strong in the face of severe challenge. Terri's role as a Trading Standards Officer, dealing with complex animal health and welfare issues in the farming sector, has led to her facing extremely challenging situations, over the last 12 months. It is often a very difficult challenge to balance the responsibilities of statutory enforcement, whilst understanding the difficulties faced by those working in agriculture. This has led to situations where Terri has worked with those with severe wellbeing concerns, including threats to take their own lives. Her approach has always been collaborative, working with partners to overcome obstacles (including those caused by other agencies) and reaching out to those in the community and third sector who can facilitate specialist support. This has led to Terri resolving difficulties specifically where business owners have been 'close to the edge', by taking a practical approach to situations. At the same time she has continued to progress the core role, protecting the welfare of farmed animals, and undertaking statutory enforcement. This is often in the most challenging circumstances, faced with extreme physical conditions and dead or dying animals, in remote and isolated locations. This requires resilience and tenacity, to withstand challenge and obstruction from those who are failing to protect and keep animals in humane conditions, and demonstrates empowerment by making difficult and consequential decisions in those challenging situations. It's clear that such work can take its toll and can be mentally draining, but Terri is able to reach out to colleagues and management, to ensure that those challenges are shared. She has gone above and beyond during the year when dealing with traumatic circumstances, demonstrating resilience and retaining good humour.
Yolande Dixon
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I am nominating this particular colleague, she has been an exceptional manager.
This particular individual has gone above and beyond for her team even when things have been tough.
Although she has been through several home closures she has continued to put her all into the work that she does and does so with a smile on her face.
She has been supportive of her staff team and has always answered questions raised.
Chloe Eyre
Nominated by: Jeni Noble
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: I would like to nominate Chloe Eyre - senior practitioner for safeguarding within Amber Valley adult social care and health department.
Since taking on the role Chloe has improved the safeguarding process for others and managed to achieve some great outcomes for the people of Derbyshire by her collaborative working with system partners. When Chloe took on the role there were a high number of safeguarding’s within Amber Valley however with Chloe’s support to others this number has reduced drastically by enabling workers to feel empowered and confident with how they deal with them. Chloe always has time for others and quite happily joint works cases with for that shared support. Chloe has provided much needed team days for the area for safeguarding so that discussions can take place with any queries or questions in relation to different areas of safeguarding. Chloe will happily have 1-1 time with others to discuss on-going safeguarding issues and has supported everyone to complete the safeguarding concern workflows much more efficiently.
Not only does she support all areas of the Amber Valley team with safeguarding’s Chloe has supported myself and others in a practice educator role for the social work apprentices. In my experience Chloe was highly motivated, supportive and a great listener. I strongly believe that without Chloe’s support I would not be where I am today in my final year at university. Chloe faces all challenges head on with such professionalism and has such a dedication to the council’s vision and values. Chloe is a kind, knowledgeable and supportive individual who deserves this award without a shadow of doubt. Thank you Chloe - you are a star :)
Collette Boden
Nominated by: Melisa Bacon
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Collette Boden is a fantastic employee of DCC. She works tirelessly for the Council and is always willing to go that little bit extra. Collette turned 70 this year and still works in both day and out of hours shifts - nothing is never too much for her and she is always willing to step in and help. She truly deserves to be recognised for all the work she does which often goes unrecognised. When I am carrying out a MHA assessment I know I can always rely on Collette to support both me and the person.
Nancy Wilson
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Place
Reason for nomination: This is relation to the move of the collections when Buxton Museum was closed and sold. I have really enjoyed working up there and I am really proud of what we all achieved. I just wanted in particular to say how great it was working with Nancy Wilson at Buxton Museum.
I have been really impressed how well she handled a difficult situation, treated everyone with respect and explained exactly what needed to be done clearly. Nancy was on with everything which let the rest of the team get on with what we needed to do. I have a lot of respect for her and she did an amazing job.
Collette Boden
Nominated by: Denyse Laking
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Collette is an outstanding, sometimes undervalued employee. Her competence always makes me feel safe when I am out in the community, working with her. Her thought process is amazing and she is always several steps ahead. When asked to do something, she has already done it. I cannot praise her highly enough. Also the individuals we come in contact with whilst undertaking Mental Health Act assessments, absolutely love her. She is a safe pair of hands.
Collette Boden
Nominated by: Davena Louise Ashman
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination: Goes above and beyond and supports AMHPs in everything we do.
Mya Cooper
Nominated by: Ev Ortton
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Mya always delivers excellent care and customer service, she demonstrates a positive attitude and is very supportive, she focuses on meeting the needs of our service and delivers consistently her performance is second to none.
Jenna Hayes
Nominated by: Donna Woodhouse
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination: I wish to nominate Jenna Hayes, Social Worker in the Children In Care team at Chesterfield. Jenna has consistently gone above and beyond for her young people in care, working late and in her own time to make their family time with birth family so special for them. Jenna has driven the family to Blackpool for days out at the seaside, she has taken other family members long distances to see the young person in care and this has meant so much for the young people and created positive memories for them to have.
The team has been short staffed for a while and Jenna has gone above and beyond to undertake additional duties, covering visits and assessments, whilst having the highest case load in the team, to ensure that the service to the young people was not compromised. Jenna is a real team player and always thinks of others and her team members wellbeing, which creates such a lovely working environment for the team during a challenging time.
Jina Hames
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Jina Hames has worked for the council for more than 25 years now and deserves to be recognised for all the people that she has helped over that time. Jina has always been a very supportive person and has looked after her team and the people that we work with. Jina is always very positive person. Jina embodies what the council is about. Jina is very supportive of the team and encourages us to be accountable, just like her. Jina makes sure that her team are always kept up to date with all changes and new information that we may need to complete our roles.
We have a regular team meeting, and we can offer feedback both positive and negative and Jina will take the information on board. Jina definitely makes the best use of the resources available to her and us. If we need something she will not hesitate to find out how to get it and then get it for us. I can offer the example of using Brava, the redacting software that we use. Jina even came to the training and regularly met with us to ensure the task was doable for us. She then checked with the SEN team to ensure we were providing the correct service to enable them to meet with others.
Jina is a real inspiration to everyone who she comes into contact with. Jina makes sure that we all read the Council Plan each year to ensure that we know and understand what the council wants to achieve and how we contribute to the Council Plan.
John Dawes
Nominated by: Allen Shepherd
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: John manages the disposal of Assets in the wider Estates Team and comes up with creative and effective ways to maximise the value and the Capital receipt the Council receive when selling land and buildings.
John worked creatively to assemble parcels of land and included problematic sections to alleviate issues and risks to the Council in the future.
Selling assets is always an emotive issue and draws huge criticism and attention from the public and John has always dealt with enquiries professionally and sympathetically whilst protecting the financial interests at all time.
The sales included Assets of Community Value which were sold to Community Groups at below 'best consideration' to ensure that Communities continued to have use of facilities and a safe space in their locality to ensure the continuation of important and much needed Community Activities including cafes, meeting places, sporting and crafting/hobby areas.
Alan Parker
Nominated by: Summa Watson
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: Alan has been innovative - using the digital tools we have to design and create excellent data collection opportunities for our team in a number of new ways. He is helpful, listens carefully and suggests ideas and options, always looking to collaborate to design the best solution for our team so that together we can deliver goals.
He values our team (Disability Employment in Public Health) and trusts us to work together to get really effective data to move us forward and improve results and efficiencies. Alan will ask questions and make sure everyone is putting in the correct data, looking for the best ways to do this and query tasks he feels might be the wrong choice - holding us all accountable for moving forward effectively.
Adam Rhodes
Nominated by: Helen Forster
Department: Corporate Services & Transformation
Reason for nomination: I, on behalf of Property SMT, nominate Adam Rhodes for the Employee of the Year award. Adam's unwavering commitment to excellence has made an invaluable impact on our organisation. Adam consistently goes above and beyond expectations, ensuring that we stay on track to deliver significant savings through optimising the assets the Council occupies. Adam's role is essential to exiting or delivering efficient assets. Adam is quiet and lets his work do the talking and this, despite his reluctance, makes him a natural leader. Adam has successfully guided teams of more senior officers through the complex process of vacating premises at an unprecedented rate. With a keen ability to coordinate efforts, manage challenges, and foster collaboration, he has led these transitions with professionalism and precision.
Beyond his operational expertise, Adam is deeply committed to safeguarding the council’s data, taking proactive steps to protect sensitive information and uphold data management standards. His diligence in this area is a testament to his responsibility and dedication to the Council, its officers and the public.
Adam's ability to work cross-functionally is truly commendable. Whether partnering with various departments or liaising with external stakeholders, he consistently demonstrates adaptability, teamwork, and a solutions-focused mindset.
For these reasons and many more, Adam exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding employee. His passion and quiet leadership make him a deserving nominee of the Employee of the Year award.
Katy Rhodes
Nominated by: Janice Taylor
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination: I am nominating Katy because since starting her position she has always been extremely professional, supportive and always makes sure to meet everyone’s needs. Whenever I need anything admin related she is straight on board to help me and get it completed. Katy’s achievement is ongoing as she continues to be friendly, welcoming, polite and professional.
Amber Rogers
Nominated by: Tanya Brown
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination: Amber has been in the team since 2021, and I have been able to see her develop into a brilliant social worker during this time. Amber has such a can do and positive attitude and is very much respected by the team. Amber’s sense of humour and positive attitude really boosts morale, even during times of crisis or instability. She always manages to make everyone smile!!
Amber is an exceptional social worker and supports families to achieve change. Amber is very child focussed and will fight for what she believes is right for the child. An example of this was a recent child in court proceedings where Amber received criticism from a professional in court. Whilst Amber was able to acknowledge concerns for the family, she remained open minded and made brave decisions based on what we felt was in the best interests of the child. A recommendation was made for the child to go to grandparents and Amber had an intense period of visiting the family to ensure the child was safe. Whilst she came up against a high level of criticism, she remained open minded, considered the views of all professionals and was able to strongly evidence why this was the best option for the child. The judge approved the recommendation and acknowledged the hard work put in to achieve the best outcome of the child.
Sadly, this child may have had a different outcome had Amber not gone above and beyond and put the level of work in she did, and the child could have had a plan of adoption which would mean her links with birth family were severed. This child now gets to grow up within her birth family and in a place of safety and this is with thanks to Amber for her consistent hard work.
Amber is an asset to DCC and should seriously consider her long-term progression within children’s services.