Local Companies win awards for recruiting disabled staff
Thursday, September 6 2007
Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade, The Lodge, Carfraemill, and Hawick Knitwear have all been singled out for their dedication to providing employment to people with disabilities. The three local organisations were among award winners at the Borders Business Diversity Awards, presented at the Careers Scotland office in Galashiels today.
The Awards recognise those companies in Scotland who are doing most to promote inclusion and equality for employees with a disability and welcome diversity into the workplace through their staffing policies. The 19 companies nominated for the awards have all taken positive steps towards recruiting and retaining people with disabilities, sensory impairments or other disadvantages.
The Borders winners were :-
Overall
Winner Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade
Highly Commended Tesco Extra
Recruitment
Winner The Lodge, Carfraemill
Highly Commended Bookdonors
Retention
Winner Hawick Knitwear
Highly Commended Reivers Fish Bar
A fourth category for voluntary placements and sponsored by Borders College was won by Boots the Chemist, Galashiels, with Broom Safe Family Driving, Kelso, achieving a highly commended award.
The awards were presented by Joyce Quilietti, Chair of Borders Supported Employment Network, and judged by Lynsey Hewitt of Scottish Enterprise Borders, Jeanette Thomson, Chamber of Commerce and Laura Ferguson of Careers Scotland.
Joyce Quilietti said: “I was delighted to see the number of nominations across such a wide range of Border companies. These companies have had the right policies in place and have demonstrated through their actions that they have embraced ability and diversity in the workplace.
“My congratulations go to all winners and nominees and especially the overall winner Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service who were runners up last year and had an outstanding entry this year.”
Alan Horberry, Group Manager Central Borders, at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are delighted to have won this award and to be recognised for the effective use of our policies. We invited Angela Kerr, a cleaner at Selkirk, Richard Stepanenko, a cleaner at Coldstream and Chris Stark from Community Safety to attend the award ceremony with us and to enjoy the recognition that this gives our organisation.”
Aileen Brady, of Broom Ltd, has worked closely with Momentum Scotland (Borders Brain Injury Service) and has offered a work placement to John Dickson during the last six months. Aileen said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been highly commended in the Placements category, and have benefited hugely from John working with us. He has been a great help with his experience in safety and layout issues in a factory unit.”
John Dickson enthused: “It has been very therapeutic for me to work with Aileen at Broom Ltd.”
Bruce Brodie, Project Manager, Ways2Work at Scottish Borders Council, said: “Borders companies have shown that they can match any in Scotland when it comes to open-minded, flexible and inclusive employment for people with a range of different disabilities. The winners of these awards have proved to be exceptional employers who have distinguished themselves by being flexible in their approach to employment and on-the-job training.”
If you would like to find out more about Ways2Work, or feel that you might have work opportunities to offer to disabled people, please contact Bruce Brodie on 01835 825080 ext 5642 or online
Unified Solutions.