Walsall Council proudly celebrated 45 long-service colleagues at their recent staff recognition event, ‘The Celebrating You Awards’. 42 colleagues had worked for the council for forty years, and three reached a fifty-year milestone.
“ This cohort of people are the unsung heroes of local government. These employees have worked at the council for the majority of their lives, and we are so proud of them all, and treat their achievement with the utmost respect.
Councillor Amo Hussain, Portfolio Holder for Internal Services at Walsall Council
We are so appreciative of the dedication they have shown this organisation through the tenure of their careers, many of which will have joined us straight from school. Their achievement speaks volumes about their passion for public service and the difference they make every day for our residents and communities. On behalf of the council we thank every one of them for their outstanding contribution. “
Paul Guilfoyle and Trevor Cockayne are two Walsall Council employees which each marked an incredible 50 years of service to the borough and its residents.
Both Paul and Trevor began their journeys with Walsall Council in 1975, starting as trainee gardeners - Paul at the age of 17 and Trevor at 16.
Over the decades, their careers have evolved, with Paul now working as a Waste and Street Cleansing HGV Driver within the Street Cleansing Team, and Trevor working as an Environmental Driver Operative for the Grounds Maintenance Team.
Emma Bennett, Chief Executive of Walsall Council said, “We were delighted to introduce a new celebration at staff awards this year to honour the achievements of those who have served the residents of the borough for forty-plus years.
“Before this year, these achievements have been celebrated on a team or service level, so to bring everyone together across all different pockets of the council to thank them for their hard work really was special.
“There is so much fluidity in the job market these days, so to achieve such long-standing service is truly remarkable and we thank each and every person who received this award for their undivided loyalty. “
The Celebrating You Awards is an annual event in the council’s calendar where staff from across the council submit nominations ahead of an awards ceremony in the Town Hall. Categories up for grabs include employee and team of the year, outstanding achievement and unsung hero.
The Celebrating You Awards are proudly sponsored by Kerv, the council's trusted partner in transforming customer experience across our borough.
Kerv power the council's cloud contact centre, giving residents seamless access by phone, web chat, chatbot and SMS. They integrate Microsoft Teams for smooth hand-offs of phonecalls, and safeguard card payments with PCI-compliant solutions.
More about working for Walsall Council can be found on the council’s website: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers-
