Hays Travel colleagues across retail and head office joined directors Jonathon Woodall-Johnston and Jane Schumm to celebrate 20 to 30 years of service with dinner at the Ramside Hall Hotel.
Staff members who reach the 20-year service milestone are given an engraved piece of Sunderland Glass from the National Glass Centre studio, while everyone who reaches their 20 to 30 year milestones also receives a Hays Travel Gift voucher. Tracey Luke, head of Vista operations and flights at Hays Travel鈥檚 Head Office, marked 30 years of service, saying: 鈥淚 started working at Hays Travel in March 1993 when I was just 20 years old, working as a telesales consultant in Houghton-le-Spring. Travel can be a very fluid industry 鈥 if you stand still, you get left behind.
"What has kept me at Hays Travel is the support you receive to navigate this. It feels like a big family that wants you to be the best you possibly can be. I am so lucky to have worked for John and Irene, and to have experienced many roles where I have seen changes in colleagues, customers, technology, and opportunities throughout the years.鈥
Dame Irene Hays said: 鈥淗ays Travel provides people from all backgrounds, skillset, and experience with the opportunity to learn, develop and progress in their work, whether this be an apprentice first entering the working world or someone wishing to advance to a new role in their department. We encourage everyone to follow their own path and, as all workplaces experience, naturally colleagues sometimes come and go. We are grateful that so many wish to stay with us and have long and successful careers. We attribute that to their talent and our development culture. Congratulations to everyone celebrating their service milestones!鈥
Moody Logistics and Storage has scooped the Pall-Ex Operational Excellence Award for the North East and Scotland. The Regional Leaders in Excellence Awards, held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, celebrate outstanding performance from the 160 independent hauliers which make up the Pall-Ex and Fortec networks covering the 海角视频 and Europe.
The family run-firm, based in Cramlington, Northumberland was also shortlisted as Member of the Year. It was invited for being the highest performing members of Pall-Ex Group鈥檚 Diamond Excellence scheme, which reflects high levels of compliance, quality distribution and service excellence withing the network.
Caroline Moody, managing director of Moody Logistics and Storage, said: 鈥淯nder the Diamond Excellence scheme we have seen our high customer service levels and consistent effort rewarded throughout the year, and now receiving the Operational Excellence Award is a real testament to the dedication and hard work of our team. We continue to invest in our facilities, technology and staff to ensure we provide a first-class service, every time.鈥
Barry Byers, managing director of Pall-Ex Group, added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be able to reward our network members for their dedication and commitment to strengthening the network and working towards a shared vision. Their commitment to delivering service excellence is demonstrated by the Diamon Excellence certificates received over recent months and the award is very well deserved.鈥
Women鈥檚 activewear brand Yana Active held its first Wellness Workshop in Fenwick鈥檚 Newcastle store to raise money for local charity Newcastle Women鈥檚 Aid (NWA). The company, founded and run by sisters Charlotte and Sophie Wilson, took over the department store鈥檚 Arthurs event space for the event which raised 拢942.
The Wellness Workshop was designed to empower its followers with knowledge from wellness and fitness experts in the North East, whilst raising money for NWA. The event kicked off with an active pilates class from Meg Fynn, Yana brand ambassador and owner of Volt Fitness Studio and Cloud Pilates in the Lake District, before moving into a Q&A session with brand ambassadors Meg & Josie who were joined by Dr Craig Rose, founder of Doctor Seaweed.
It finalised with NWA branded cupcakes from Fenwick鈥檚 Mason and Rye and a meditation session from Josie Baxter, another company brand ambassador and qualified forest yoga teacher. Each guest left with a Yana goody bag worth over 拢150, filled with wellness products from the networking community Buy Women Built.
Co-founder and director Charlotte Wilson said: 鈥淥ur Wellness Workshop was the first ticketed event we鈥檝e held in Fenwick and in aid of our chosen charity, and we were so pleased to sell it out within a week.鈥
Fellow director Sophie Wilson said: 鈥淭he feedback on the day has been fantastic and we鈥檙e looking forward to hosting more events in the future with Fenwick. We鈥檙e so proud to support NWA, a charity who empower women to rebuild their lives following dangerous situations. We believe all women should feel empowered and safe.鈥
North East manufacturer Komatsu 海角视频 is lending a helping hand to Oasis Community Housing, a charity dedicated to supporting people facing homelessness. The Birtley business will work closely with Oasis Community Housing after selecting the organisation as it鈥檚 chosen charity to support over the next three years.
The organisation works hard to address the immediate needs and root causes of homelessness, offering crisis services, 24/7 supported housing, help for women escaping domestic abuse and financial skills support. Komatsu 海角视频, which recently introduced a new CSR policy enabling it to work with charities on a longer-term basis, is focused on projects that enable it to make more of a difference in communities around the region.
Katie O鈥橞rien, Komatsu 海角视频 HR general manager, said: 鈥淲ith the North East overtaking London as the 海角视频鈥檚 highest region for children living in poverty and one in four people in our region living below the poverty line, Oasis Community Housing really stood out as an important charity responding proactively to help people directly impacted by these conditions.鈥
Komatusu staff are working with the charity to support a series of events, such as 鈥淎 mile in their shoes鈥 - to walk at least a mile a day to raise donations, and Komatsu will be taking a table at a gala dinner to raise funds for Oasis鈥 work.
Oasis Community Housing鈥檚 corporate relationships manager, Hazel Ditchburn, said: 鈥淲e are honoured and excited to embark on this meaningful journey with Komatsu as their chosen charity partner for the next three years. This partnership not only reflects Komatsu鈥檚 commitment to corporate social responsibility, but also underscores the shared belief that together, we can build a foundation of support and empowerment for those facing homelessness in the North East.鈥
Ouseburn Farm and Gentian have renewed a sponsorship deal to bring funds into the charity. Based in Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle, Ouseburn Farm Charity Ltd is a working community farm and a place where local children and families can visit for free to learn about farming and growing, meet animals and explore green spaces.
As a sponsor, Gentian will invest 拢5,000 per year for the next three years until December 2026, funds which will be used to maintain free entry to the farm for visitors. Gentian manages the retail services in hospitals across England and Wales including three in the Newcastle and Gateshead area, and aims to support the local community where it operates.
Paul Phillips, head of estates at Gentian, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to continue our support of the local community in Newcastle Gateshead by renewing our sponsorship of Ouseburn Farm for another three years. We鈥檙e delighted that our donation will help the farm remain free to access for the general public.鈥
Hugh Stolliday, Ouseburn Farm manager, said: 鈥淎t a time when taking your family for a day out can cost hundreds of pounds, maintaining free entry to the farm is more important than ever. We are so grateful to Gentian for their renewed support, and we鈥檙e delighted that they鈥檝e chosen to help us maintain our free entry. Running a city farm like ours costs hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, and this support is vital.鈥
