Clare Wilson
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating Clare Wilson in Education Data Hub for the Inspiring Leader award because she embodies the skill, drive and determination that has meant that Education Data Hub brings an award winning service to schools.
In 2023 my team suffered a number of setbacks that meant they were very understaffed, there were two members of the team to do the work of four+ people. Clare stepped in, kept in contact with me and sought the advice of others and motivated the remaining members of the team to deliver a huge cybersecurity project by themselves. Clare will often say that she knows little about cyber, but she's gone out of her way to find out what schools in Derbyshire need and worked with me and my team so that we can deliver a cost effective, well regarded and supportive cyber service that improves cybersecurity for everyone involved.
I also want to nominate her because I wasn't able to work for four months and that would have taken longer if it hadn't been for Clare providing me with support, inspiring me and creating an environment in EDH where I feel accepted, trusted and listened to. I'm proud to work for her and I feel she inspires us by regularly demonstrating council values.
Olivia Allanson
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Taking over a new team and recruiting and training several new CHIW members whilst cementing a good relationship and offering support with existing team members to ensure all feel supported. All done whilst working on other projects and limited time.
Heather Rock
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating my manager Heather Rock, Derbyshire Dales Adult SW Team, for the Inspiring Leader Award.
Heather inspires our team everyday through her commitment and dedication to her work, and to us as a team. Heather is a cheerleader to everyone in our team, she focuses on our strengths and keeps us positive and proactive.
Heather has worked on developing Team Up at Whitworth where our duty workers work alongside health, START and south Derbyshire Dales colleagues. This has resulted in more collaborative working with health colleagues and great sharing of information on duty.
Heather is incredibly supportive of our individual team members progress, motivations and careers. She supports us in working towards career progression and specialities. Heather will ask colleagues and other senior staff for support when she needs it.
Heather is sensitive to neurodiverse employees and puts in support for staff members where this is needed.
Heather supports us to look at cost effective measures such as voluntary services, continuing healthcare, housing, supporting carers.
These are ongoing because Heather continues to look at how our team and area can develop.
Sarah Bryan
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
This person is inspirational - after every interaction with Sarah I feel listened to, supported, and have a clear understanding of what I need to do next to be successful and effective in my role. Sarah has guided me with my understanding of my role and how this impacts other departments within the local authority, as well as challenging myself to be and do better. I have learnt what it means to be dynamic, to engage and involve colleagues and partners through watching and reflecting with Sarah. In her efforts to review policies and procedures I have seen first hand what it means to be accountable and responsive to enable our sector to thrive. Sarah encourages me to be aspirational every single day, no matter how busy she may be.
Ian Wilson
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Ian Wilson (Wilf to those who know him well) has dedicated his work with Derbyshire County Council to the nurturing, care and education of young people using his knowledge and skills of the outdoors. I have never met anyone who can engage with young people, particularly children in care as well as Ian; he has an amazing and unique talent. He has been a leader for the last 15 years and has inspired many to follow in his footsteps. He has made a lasting impression on both children and staff, in fact on everyone he meets, with his lovely, larger than life personality and it has been a privilege to work with him for so many years.
Linda Elba-Porter
Nominated by: Lisa Brewin
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Linda is such an inspiration - she is truly amazing, she has such a clear and immediate grasp of key operational and strategic decisions and is able to encourage and nurture effective team work by her calm and supportive nature. It has been such an honour and privilege to work with Linda on Adult Care consultation matters - it is a true loss to Derbyshire that she is retiring in the Spring. What huge boots to fill.
Sally Astill
Nominated by: Alexander McBlane
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
I cannot express within the limits of this short description all of the attributes that Sally Astill possesses to qualify for this nomination. Rest assured that the list would be too exhaustive. If I had to distil the description to its essence, it would include these tangibles: intelligence, vision, tact, diplomacy, leadership, decisiveness and responsibility. However, of greater importance would be the list of intangibles that make up the fabric of a true leader of any organization: caring, respect, humility, commitment, dedication, humor, honesty, integrity, empathy, transparency, hard work and resiliency. Sally is always the first in and last out, leading by example, showing her team respect and being there for them in every situation. I have never had a more supportive manager that has been so understanding to personal situations but still managing to adhere to business needs also. Sally has supported my myself as a new employee to gain the information and skills needed to perform my role at the highest level as well as supporting me and my family personally by helping with the flexibility of our appointments. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of any award than Sally.
Wes Downes
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Wes Downes is an excellent and thoughtful leader with a sharp mind who is hugely supportive and provides really helpful advice. He works in very positive way with people at all levels and provides a working environment in which you can explore your ambitions, fears, concerns and hopes. He has worked for the council for almost 20 years and continues to inspire me and other colleagues in Policy and Strategy and elsewhere.
Emma Wynn-Ward
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
I nominate Emma Wynn-Ward as she has been there and still is to listen, encourage, support and advise me through a difficult time with personal issues. I don't think I would have been able to carry on working or get through the year without her support. She has gone above and beyond to change shifts days off so I could make appointments at short notice.
Emma Steeples
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination:
I would like to nominate my manager Emma Steeples.
Her vision and drive within the quality assurance team, how it can and does continue to support colleagues/teams and how she personally supports her team members never ceases to surprise me (particularly during this very challenging period of time and uncertainty).
She has been central recently to the organisation and delivery of practice week which was held between adult and children's services. This was a full week of practice examples and learning and has been months in the planning. She has managed to do this seamlessly, alongside what is already an incredibly busy role for her. All this whilst managing some nerves from her colleagues too.
Emma is always considering how her team can push themselves professionally and supports them in every way, including how to achieve the best work/personal/family life balance possible.
She brings out the best in her team which is evidenced by the excellent work we do - there is no finer example of this then the recent Ofsted report children's services received where the quality assurance team were commended.
Her passion and commitment to improving services is an example to us all and I think I speak on behalf of the whole team when i say how lucky we feel to have her as our manager.
Robin Heath
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination:
Robin is a fantastic leader, he takes real pride in his work and strives to treat everybody fairly and to get the best out of the team and motivates them. He strives to do what is best for the centre and Derbyshire County Council. He makes sure every child matters and gets the best opportunity at White Hall. He leads by example and is incredibly hard working and is making a real positive change to the centre in the last 20 months he has been working at the centre. Always makes time to listen to all staff and offers his support in a fair manner. A natural leader who is respected by all and a pleasure to work alongside him.
Tanya Brown
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Tanya is a very supportive manager. Tanya helps me and others in the team see our own potential and develop our skills as social workers. Tanya is hardworking and ambitious but she continues to have compassion and care for the team when lots of us have our own needs. She is driven and works hard to keep a strong team performance to ensure only the best outcomes for families.
Tanya has also supported the introduction of the mind of my own direct work tool for social workers to use with children. Tanya has completed presentations over the Derbyshire area and is helping this become a useful tool for us to capture children's voices more effectively.
We are grateful and lucky to have the management support we do from you.
Louise Thorpe
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Lou Thorpe, for being the best PS, always supporting the team and individually. If ever we're feeling stressed Lou knows how to bring a sense of calm and collectiveness. With rational, supportive and logical responses. Always listening to the worker and being supportive of decisions
Louise Thorpe
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I have been working on team for a while now, Louise Thorpe has been an excellent manager and has really stepped up whilst our manager was off sick. She has offered advice and support to myself and the other members of our team. Louise is passionate about the young people we work with and ensuring their needs are being met and their futures look bright.
Linda Elba-Porter
Nominated by: Jeanette Bloor
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Linda is an absolute pleasure to work with and tackles problems full face, without shirking any responsibility. She leads by example and provides an environment for colleagues to be the best they can be. She has taken on difficult challenges and does so with grace. She always has a kind word for everyone and is encouraging, even in difficult circumstances. Her level of knowledge, experience and humility is a wonderful combination which has not gone unmissed by colleagues.
Becky Wrath
Nominated by: Sarah Seddon
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I wish to nominate Becky Wrath for the Inspiring Leader Award. Becky has been undertaking the role of Practice Supervisor for Transitions since last June. During that time she has worked extremely hard in progressing the development of a separate Transitions Team in order to support young people with a smooth transition over from children’s services to adult care. Becky strikes to achieve the best for our young people going through transition and works tirelessly with colleagues and partner agencies to ensure that young people's independence is promoted and that their transition plan is developing their skills for a smooth transition into adulthood with the right services and right level of support involved.
Alex Hood
Nominated by: Nicola Chambers
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Since arriving in Bolsover as Senior Practitioner less than 2 years ago, Alex has committed herself to improving the standard of work done within the team and beyond, particularly in Safeguarding. She has inspired others to grasp the priority this needs to be given, and the benefit for everyone involved of completing this work in a timely manner.
Alex has contributed to the creation and delivery of a training workshop shared initially with the team and then with the area to encourage skills and confidence for completion of Safeguarding initial enquiries. This has resulted in the average length of time a Safeguarding concern is open reducing from 87 days for those closed in July 23 to 45 days for those closed in October 23, and similar levels have been maintained to date. However, this work is not complete, and Alex is now producing a workshop to ensure we are confident and competent to undertake s.42 Safeguarding enquiries. Alex has shared her enthusiasm and expertise throughout Derbyshire, contributing to Safeguarding Champion Meetings and talking about the training workshops and the safeguarding workflow.
Alex thrives when supporting others to develop in their practice. As well as providing 1:1 reflective supervision for social workers in the team, Alex had her first social work student whilst completing Practice Educator training. Alex did such a fantastic job that the student applied for and was successful in gaining a social work post in the team and is now excelling with Alex as her ASYE Supervisor. In addition, Alex has become Mentor for a Social Work Apprentice in another team. Alex is committed to the development of everyone in the team, facilitating Peer Group Discussions, encouraging creativity and exploration of strength-based solutions to care needs. She is available to support duty and individual case discussion and is always on hand to diffuse difficult situations and encourage team morale with her use of humour. She is an inspiration to us all.
Bryde Beighton
Nominated by: Delia Firth
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Bryde Beighton has had a huge impact on the Scheduling team since joining us. She is the most supportive, empowering and empathetic manager we have had. She has improved structure, peer support, communication and always has an open door policy. I believe she is responsible for improving the morale of the whole team and this has then improved the teams approach to work and has increased productivity. Bryde always asks for our input when making changes and this helps the team feel valued.
Carmel Reilly
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
This person is welcoming and supportive to all team members, valuing diversity and understanding disability at work while supporting some of the least heard voices in our community and leading by example to help us (her team) do the same. As well as supporting the community through work, she volunteers in her spare time and has been studying for further qualifications.
Clare Wilson
Nominated by: Gill Claxton
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I have only worked for Clare for just over a year and during that time she has shown never ending encouragement, support and praise and is always available to talk to.
She is a great role model, leading by example – very enthusiastic and will help absorb workloads during busy times or staffing difficulties. She willingly embraces new challenges and encourages all the team to develop so that we continually improve our services and efficiency.
She has made us a strong team with a great reputation and we all enjoys working for Education Data Hub and contributing to the Service Plan.
Dan Riley
Nominated by: Robin Heath
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I am delighted to nominate Dan Riley for the Inspiring Leader Award. Dan's leadership at the White Hall Centre is truly exemplary, serving as a beacon of inspiration for his staff team and the Derbyshire community.
Dan's supportive and encouraging nature fosters a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to excel. His dedication to helping others goes above and beyond, making him a respected and admired leader.
Through Dan's hard work and commitment, the White Hall Centre has seen a significant increase in funding through successful grant bids. This has allowed thousands more Derbyshire young people to access life-changing outdoor education experiences, enriching their lives and broadening their horizons.
Dan's impact extends beyond the workplace, positively influencing the lives of over 6000 young people who visit White Hall each year. His dedication to providing high-quality outdoor education experiences leaves a lasting impression on each participant, shaping their futures in meaningful ways.
Dan Riley's leadership embodies resilience, compassion, and service, making him a deserving candidate for the Inspiring Leader Award. His vision and dedication have made a profound impact on the White Hall Centre and the Derbyshire community.
Emma Steeples
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I would like to nominate my manager Emma Steeples.
Her vision and drive within the quality assurance team, how it can and does continue to support colleagues/teams and how she personally supports her team members never ceases to surprise me (particularly during this very challenging period of time and uncertainty).
She has been central recently to the organisation and delivery of practice week which was held between adult and children's services. This was a full week of practice examples and learning and has been months in the planning. She has managed to do this seamlessly, alongside what is already an incredibly busy role for her. All this whilst managing some nerves from her colleagues too.
Emma is always considering how her team can push themselves professionally and supports them in every way, including how to achieve the best work/personal/family life balance possible.
She brings out the best in her team which is evidenced by the excellent work we do - there is no finer example of this then the recent Ofsted report children's services received where the quality assurance team were commended.
Her passion and commitment to improving services is an example to us all and I think I speak on behalf of the whole team when I say how lucky we feel to have her as our manager.
Emma Wynn-Ward
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
I nominate Emma Wynn-ward as she has been there and still is to listen, encourage, support and advise me through a difficult time with personal issues I don't think I would have been able to carry on working or get through the year without her support she has gone above and beyond to change shifts days off so I could make appointment at short notice.
Jenny Webster
Nominated by: Tracey Townsend
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I nominate Jenny Webster for this award. She took on a challenging role (in fact two roles) in difficult circumstances and worked incredibly hard since doing so. She is working on putting in place a team that can rise to challenges and can provide the skills needed for the complex and essential work that Childrens Services, but in the meantime despite her own health complications she has been working day and night to ensure that this Childrens Services work continues at pace. Highlights have included getting the Boulton Moor School project resolved and now progressing the other new school projects which are politically sensitive and involve other public bodies. Jenny is inspiration to work with, forthright, inclusive, hardworking and collaborative.
Julie Stirland
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating Julie for the Inspiring Leader Award because she continuously encourages my development within my role by finding tasks/ jobs for me to do which allow me to gain new knowledge and a deeper understanding of my position with the library sector.
Julie is always there and happy to talk through any issues I (or anyone else) has and is a friendly and supportive manager for the cluster.
Karen Smith
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Karen has been acting manager for a considerable amount of time over the last 12 months and has recently accepted a role as manager of the team.
I am nominating her for being an inspiring leader.
Over the past year she has set an example for the rest of the team and inspired us to collaborate / work together to support one another through difficult changes.
I have worked on other teams within Derbyshire but here I have been proactively encouraged to develop in my own areas of interest and my own leadership skills. Karen has offered the support I have needed to start my PE1 training and to support a student on the team. I know this is true of the team as a whole and not only myself.
Karen has taken the time needed to get to know each team member, she is aware of their strengths and areas of interest and will encourage those areas as well as giving us the support we need to develop in areas we struggle with or that do not come as naturally to us. Karen does this thoughtfully using other colleagues to support so that we can continue to achieve and to reflect on what we have been able to do as a team.
Karen has supports students on the team and colleagues completing their ASYE helping them to strive for better, develop social work values and the Derbyshire vision.
During this time Karen has also continued to support individuals on her caseload, these are extremely complex cases which require the professional curiosity, experience, oversight and care that Karen can and has provided.
For the cases held by the wider team Karen has provided encouragement to use what is available in the wider community (her knowledge on what is available and cost-effective is vast) and other funding streams where possible to ensure that Derbyshire County Council funds are spent wisely. This is often given during Peer Group Discussions, supervision or ad-hoc case discussions. Karen will often ensure she is available for the team to discuss our cases, ensure we are being person-centred, fair and accountable.
Karen is also aware of those outside the team and strengths they have, she is often able to sign-post team members to others who work within Derbyshire County Council or the wider community to provide further support. Her communication and collaboration skills have made this possible.
Karen has recently completed her leadership training and we have been able to see her grow in her leadership role as she has been open to feedback from the team, taken this on and used it to develop her own skill set.
Karen has often been part of working groups or committees for the wider Derbyshire council too. She has helped to develop and provide support during the changes we have seen across adult social care. She is forward thinking, looking to future proof adult social care. She has also provided her time and skills to another team who have been struggling due to short staffing. Karen has worked overtime to help reduce the stress on that team.
Keeley Howson
Nominated by: Jenny Knighton
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I would like to nominate Keeley Howson placements commissioning manager Inspiring Leader award for all her support hard work and dedication to supporting the team and going that extra mile to help find homes for children in need. Keeley is my line manager and has greatly supported and help me navigate my role within the team. Keeley is always there to listen, engage and advise and will always assist if I am struggling or need support, her knowledge and wisdom is second to none. Keeley makes me feel confident to make decisions and always full of encouragement.
Keeley is also a fantastic support to her local community in Shirebrook setting up BLAST which supports families, the elderly and children to thrive, every community needs a Keeley an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, a safe space, and just being there to guide when life is hard.
Keeley has dedicated nearly 30 years of her working career to Derbyshire County Council and is not only a massive asset to the team and her peers, also to the council and her community and is so child centred in everything she does let this not get unnoticed.
Kirsty Baxter
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
They are a true inspiration to their team. They thrive and prove to be the best at everything they do. They have the best interests of the service and the users at the heart of every decision. They are the driving force of the team.
Lena Drabble
Nominated by: Becky Clarke
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Lena has been my line manager for around 18 months. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her, she has been absolutely incredible in supporting me with some challenging pieces of work. She is always so professional, conscientious and dedicated to her job role, she works so hard, its inspirational. She is very approachable and will always make time for her team members.
Lena is focussed on her managing her team, she always has continual improvement at the forefront of her mind, when we did our team engagement plan, Lena made this fun and engaging using different approaches to gather team feedback. We had the usual team meeting and discussions, she also used some live comments/questions in the teams chat which was a new feature at the time.
Currently in these challenging times she has taken on a lot of extra work, she never complains, she keeps on smiling. She is also completing her higher level apprenticeship at Derby University, I don’t know where she finds the time. I know she will strive forward and is determined to succeed whilst providing a very high standard of work.
Liz Preston
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
SM for South Derbyshire South P&P Team for all her hard work in managing and supporting the team in negotiating numerous changes, moving the service forward and supporting colleagues through difficult times.
Lois Race
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Lois Race is a truly inspiring leader! Dedicated to ensuring that Derbyshire residents in crisis get the support they need, she drives the work of the incredibly busy Derbyshire Discretionary Fund (DDF). Cost of living pressures have significantly exacerbated demand on the service. Lois has expertly navigated integrating additional funding streams such as the Household Support Fund in order to maximise resources going out to vulnerable populations. She picks up key operational and strategic decisions with ease. Always on the front foot, she is also currently leading an important piece of consultation to consider the future scope of the scheme.
She is calm, efficient, sets a clear vision for her team. Lois continually works dynamically to get things done and improve outcomes for the people of Derbyshire. She also prioritises the health and wellbeing of her team and recognises the emotional toil that is placed on them when supporting people in crisis.
Thank you, Lois, for everything you do.
Louise Wheeler
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
This person is consistently the person others go to for advice and guidance on how to manage situations. This person goes above and beyond for her team. Provides an outstanding service for the county.
Louise Wilson
Nominated by: Becky Stancill
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
Louise inspires me daily; she is a knowledgeable, supportive and a positive role model who I aspire to be. She is proactive and dedicated to her role and our team. Louise genuinely cares about Derbyshire residents ensuring we have an inclusive and accessible service; she is focused on continual improvement to develop our service to meet the changing needs of the local labour market and the needs of our customers. As a result, we are proud that our service is embedded and utilised in both internal and external services and has a strong reputation within our local communities. Louise is invested in our professional development and has encouraged me (and other colleagues) to undertake an apprenticeship to enhance our CPD. Louise values our feedback and respects our team which is mutually reciprocated. She includes us when making decisions about our service and consistently remains composed and solution focussed, even when faced with challenging decisions. As a Manager, I could not ask for more.
Philippa Reddish
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating Philippa Reddish, for the inspiring leader award.
Philippa, has been working in the role as acting catering Ops manager, for a year now, and is incredibly supportive, helping out wherever is needed. Philippa always puts others first, working alongside us, and encouraging us, in all manner of things. Philippa helps us as a team to progress and develop wherever possible.
We know Philippa is always there to help guide and inspire us. Nothing is ever too much trouble, as she walks alongside us everyday.
Philippa keeps us positive, and no matter how busy, she always has time to listen and offer encouragement.
Robin Heath
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Robin is a fantastic leader, he takes real pride in his work and strives to treat everybody fairly and to get the best out of the team and motivates them. He strives to do what is best for the centre and Derbyshire County Council. He makes sure every child matters and gets the best opportunity at White Hall. He leads by example and is incredibly hard working and is making a real positive change to the centre in the last 20 months he has been working at the centre. Always makes time to listen to all staff and offers his support in a fair manner. A natural leader who is respected by all and a pleasure to work alongside him.
Sally Astill
Nominated by: Alexander McBlane
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
I cannot express within the limits of this short description all of the attributes that Sally Astill possesses to qualify for this nomination. Rest assured that the list would be too exhaustive. If I had to distil the description to its essence, it would include these tangibles: intelligence, vision, tact, diplomacy, leadership, decisiveness and responsibility. However, of greater importance would be the list of intangibles that make up the fabric of a true leader of any organization: caring, respect, humility, commitment, dedication, humour, honesty, integrity, empathy, transparency, hard work and resiliency. Sally is always the first in and last out, leading by example, showing her team respect and being there for them in every situation. I have never had a more supportive manager that has been so understanding to personal situations but still managing to adhere to business needs also. Sally has supported my myself as a new employee to gain the information and skills needed to perform my role at the highest level as well as supporting me and my family personally by helping with the flexibility of our appointments. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of any award than Sally.
Tracey Hewitt
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Tracey Hewitt is inspirational to all her team and many outside it. She strives to provide the best service for the people of Derbyshire and always looks for new ways to support and adapt to meet people’s needs. Tracey is well respected by many different colleagues in different professions due to her willingness to listen, work with and support them. She encourages all she comes into contact with to be the best they can be and will help them in any way she can, she always finds time for people. Tracey has a love for the work she does and this shines through every day and motivates all those around her. She makes time for all her colleagues at all ends of the professional scale and strives to bring out the best in everyone so we can provide the best service to the people of Derbyshire. Tracey makes sure all her colleagues have what they need to be able to work without spending any extra money which is greatly needed at this time and her ability to adapt and problem solve is to be admired.
Vicky Smyth
Nominated by: Carmel Reilly
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
This colleague is the Public Health Group Manager for Wider Determinants
Vicky is a motivational and inspiring leader who embodies our values and demonstrates them consistently. She is an excellent leader responsible for delivering on a wide range of areas with many competing priorities but always makes herself available when needed by a colleague.
Vicky is very sensitive to differing motivations within her team and is able to adapt her style to bring out the best in her colleagues.
Vicky demonstrates her passion for the work of public health and inspires this same passion in others. She is generous with providing development opportunities for her team and this relationship of trust allows others to thrive. This support cascades throughout her teams and is everything from helping to identify appropriate opportunities to being a kind and listening ear offering patient understanding throughout.
Vicky welcomes feedback and actively listens to the views of her team, using this insight to grow and develop and continuously improve.
Vicky works within many partnerships and also in an important locality role. She is always thorough, professional and confident but never afraid to be the critical friend in the room.
Vicky worked tirelessly throughout covid to improve outcomes for Derbyshire residents.
Vicky brings humour, warmth and laughter to the role and it is a pleasure to work alongside her.
Wes Downes
Nominated by: John Cowings
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Wes Downes is an excellent and thoughtful leader with a sharp mind who is hugely supportive and provides really helpful advice. He works in very positive way with people at all levels and provides a working environment in which you can explore your ambitions, fears, concerns and hopes. He has worked for the council for almost 20 years and continues to inspire me and other colleagues in Policy and Strategy and elsewhere.
Zuzanna Forster-Fake
Nominated by: Nicola Chambers and Peter Bunting
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
As an inspiring leader, Zuzanna is a role model. Her enthusiasm and drive to improve are contagious. Zuzanna is always positive and encouraging. She knows everyone in the Bolsover Teams and arranges regular in person meetings for the area. She engages with us all making us feel valued and recognised and receives hard work and commitment in return. She recognises the pressures workers are experiencing, and encourages us to look after ourselves and each other, including the use of flexi time to support wellbeing.
Zuzanna’s vision is to improve the service we provide to the people we work with. She is an organised and effective leader. She is collaborative and seeks other people’s views before making decisions, attending frequent catch ups with the area leadership team. She encourages collaboration with partner agencies, including arranging joint meetings with Team Up colleagues to develop the service we provide. Zuzanna is extremely thoughtful in breaking down large pieces of information into bite size chunks making it easier to share with teams. Over the last year Zuzanna has led the Bolsover area to significantly reduce waiting lists and ensure safeguarding concerns are addressed promptly and thoroughly. Zuzanna is particularly keen to ensure the views and wishes of clients are heard and considered.
Zuzanna is a supportive manager, providing regular 1:1 and always ensuring people feel she has time for them. Despite being in a demanding role herself, she is happy to “muck in” when the pressure is on. Zuzanna offers perspective and is extremely good at identifying aspects of staff confidence and productivity where there may be ideas to improve throughput. One recent example is the creation of a complex peer group discussion to encourage staff development and knowledge. She leads by sharing her own professional experiences, encouraging others to critically think in areas of judgement and decision making. Her vast knowledge and experience have gained her respect.
Heather Northcote
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating Heather Northcote for inspiring leader award. Heather calmly led us through the pandemic as acting deputy principal after another colleague was taken ill. She supported us so well during this time, focusing on allying any fears and maintaining a workplace that centred wellbeing while we led the way supporting others to manage the collective trauma of the pandemic and helping place race awareness at the centre following the murder of George Floyd. Heather then took on the role of deputy principal permanently before soon finding herself stepping up to lead as principal when her predecessor suddenly left. In true Heather style she led with optimism for the future and inspired our professional practise as we came out of the pandemic and onto the "new ways of working". She managed so much change and challenge during this season. Later Heather welcomed the new principal and together they led with a fresh start and again that spirit of optimism and positivity for our future. The service is strong, creative, resilient, and accomplished as a result of Heather's guidance. Heather has cultivated a workplace that celebrates difference and encourages individuals to pursue interests and passions of their own for the betterment of the service. There is an overall feeling of excitement for the future, strong sense of belonging and purpose and commitment to do the best for the schools and families of Derbyshire as a result of her inspiring leadership.
Becky Lomas
Nominated by: Mel Turvey
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Becky has been an inspiration to me, her team, the organisation and the communities she serves. Becky has worked on and championed the Thriving Communities programme since its inception and has lead her team of community and policy officers throughout, tackling every challenge head on with an unwavering positive and professional attitude and still managing to smile.
Becky has instilled and rolled out new ways of working with co-production and co-design, working with teams across the authority and within communities, helping them to help themselves within their own communities. During this past year the priority and focus of the traditional programme has shifted but Becky has run with the challenge and is rising up to meet it and no doubt will exceed in the new chapter of the programme.
Becky is able to see the big picture and distil it down into an insightful and meaningful way showing enthusiasm and confidence whilst instilling the values and ethos of the council’s vision.
Becky is a supportive leader, nurturing her staff and developing their skills and shares this with the wider team and is very deserving of the Inspiring Leader Award.
James Creaghan
Nominated by: Luke Oldham
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating James Creaghan for Inspiring Leader as he is an inspiration to his team and across Derbyshire, leading the way with committed work and being the central person in Derbyshire for mental health and suicide prevention. He supports, equips and inspires others to work at their best and support us through the thick and thin.
He will always make time for anyone who may need it and has Derbyshire residents, visitors, and employees at the heart of all he supports us in doing. As also chairing the Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Partnership group, he shows his commitment to working with partners.
Nothing is ever too big for James, and will tackle any problem which may arise by working with others and supporting and guiding them. He is responsible in the way he works and doesn't just see things as they are and is able to see the broader picture, not just that about mental health or suicide prevention.
It's hard to describe how much James has done for people in Derbyshire. Many lives have been saved by the work James has done, led, and supported. If you mention James' name to people and they know him, the usual reply is, "Ow, he's so amazing, isn't he?".
Kerry Feetham
Nominated by: The Whole Fostering Team North
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Kerry Feetham is currently acting Team Manager for the Fostering Team in the north area. Kerry has stepped up to this role in really difficult circumstances, due to ill health within the team. This has been an emotional and challenging situation, especially in such a long-standing and close-knit team where most of the team have worked together for more than 10 years. Kerry has not sought out this role for conventional career development, but instead through necessity, and to provide the team, as well as the many foster families we work for, with a much-needed sense of stability.
Lena Ratcliffe
Nominated by: Alison O’Connor
Department: Children’s Services
Reason for nomination:
Lena is an excellent head of service who is approachable and knowledgeable. She is supportive and caring to all staff and can be relied on. Lena has changed the view of our locality and has encouraged and supported staff to the degree we are all very proud of our locality. Lena is conscientious and passionate about making our locality better improving practice and sustaining it.
Max Adams
Nominated by: Graduate Cohort
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
We would like to nominate Max Adams for the Inspirational Leader Award.
Since the Highways Graduate Cohort started in September 2023, Max has supported us through the initial set up of our placements, pastorally, and from a performance development standpoint. Despite Max’s busy schedule, with involvement in complex major projects and emergency responses, Max has taken the time to support all 6 of us in an individual and tailored way, with regular group meetings and 1-to-1s.
Max has encouraged us to take on both leadership roles and opportunities beyond the remits of our placements, working with other departments to support research groups and emergency responses when a business need arises. He continuously assures and praises us for our work within the council and inspires us to challenge ourselves.
Max is an excellent leader and has made us feel listened to and valued. We would like to say a huge thank you to Max, and we appreciate all he does to further our professional journey with DCC.
Saranjit Shetra
Nominated by: Peter Johnston
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Saranjit Shetra has dedicated herself to the children of Derbyshire and should win every one of these awards as she moves to retirement!
Her support and inspirational leadership has been at the heart of the Education Improvement Service for a very long time.
Sinead Roberts
Nominated by: Ellis Butler
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Sinead Roberts is a truly amazing manager who is selfless, and genuinely puts the health and wellbeing of her team first. Sinead’s attitude to management means that members of our team consistently feel motivated and have no issue in going above and beyond in order to offer colleagues across the council legal advice.
Sinead is the only senior solicitor who manages three practice areas: employment, trading standards (consumer protection) and data protection law. Despite being an incredibly busy person, Sinead will always make herself available, whether this for colleagues in the council need advice or members of her team needing her management support.
Sinead’s approach to my development as a Solicitor Apprentice has been nothing short of fantastic and despite all the competing demands on her time, she has proactively found and explored development opportunities for me and always ensured that the team is managed effectively to enable me to have my off the job learning for my apprenticeship. In turn, I feel motivated to perform at a high level to ensure that I am repaying Sinead for all the faith and trust she has shown in me.
I know that I speak for other members of the team when I say that we genuinely cannot express enough our gratitude for Sinead and that she is one of the reasons we all feel motivated and able to perform at a high level to ensure the Council is able to deliver its objectives.