11:00am Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Emma Streatfield
SWINDON’S BBC Radio One Big Weekend team were the toast of a council awards ceremony to celebrate those who go beyond the call of duty for their town.
Swindon Council’s Excellence Awards ceremony took place at the Wyvern Theatre yesterday to reward the work of employees across all of its services.
Those in charge of the Lydiard Park music extravaganza last May were given the Special Team of the Year award.
Mark Hopkins, head of programme and project management for the council, said: “It’s nice to be nominated and even more so because it’s a member of the community that’s nominated us.
“It’s recognising that the project team delivered a fantastic event.”
In his speech to council employees, Gavin Jones, the council’s chief executive, highlighted achievements over the last year such as plans to become the first wi-fi town, the Big Weekend, the performance of Children’s Services and the formation of Forward Swindon, the new organisation tasked with the town’s regeneration.
He said: “For many of you it’s more than just a job, actually many of you live in the community you serve.
“You have a genuine commitment to do good, to be passionate about what you do and the difference it makes.”
Over 300 staff, including the council’s partners and volunteers, were involved in the organisation and running of the Big Weekend, which covered everything from traffic management and AA road signs to bus services.
The core team comprised 70 staff.
Mr Hopkins said his team had started work on the project in March last year, but had known Swindon was the venue since February and had to keep the secret until it was officially announced.
The weekend event featured acts such as Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal, Kasbian, The Prodigy and Franz Ferdinand and put Swindon on the national stage for a weekend.
He said: “It was a huge success, a huge challenge, you have got that absolute deadline.
“It meant all the different departments of the council coming together.”
With so many people coming into Lydiard Park from outside Swindon, Mr Hopkins said, there was pressure to make sure people knew where they were going.
He added that his team had also worked hard to ensure everything was thought of, including things like the litter clean-up afterwards.
He said the feedback had been very positive, even from those who had been sceptical about how successful the Big Weekend would be.
NUMEROUS individuals and teams were honoured for their achievements.
Winners included staff from Steam – the museum of the Great Western Railway – who were given a team award for customer services.
Carolyn Lovett, Julie Bacon, Geoff Davies and Juliette Watkins are in the customer service team, which works both behind the front desk and in the display area.
Ms Lovett, visitor service duty manager, said: “We believe that everybody who comes through the doors is important to us.
“We’re very proud of what we do.
“A lot of visitors come again and again.”
On Saturday they were involved in the 50th birthday celebrations of the Evening Star, the last steam locomotive built by British Rail.
However, they are also responsible for school and educational trips, weddings and any clients coming to see the collection.
The next big event they are gearing up for is the BBC Antiques Roadshow, which comes to the museum on Thursday, April 22.
Ms Lovett added: “We’re very much a family – not just the staff, but we have fantastic volunteers and ex-railway workers.
“It’s all part of what makes it such a nice place to work, every day is different.
“It’s important that people learn about the history of the railway and Swindon’s fantastic heritage.”
Enterprise Works, which is part of the council, received the Quality of Life award.
The organisation helps disabled people find work and provides them with employment.
In the last 12 months, it has run a Skills Factory which brings in people with learning difficulties for one day a week for a year for extended work experience.
It has also been running a mentoring project through its current disabled staff.
Dave Rowland, general manager of Enterprise Works, said: “It’s making a difference.
“You run a service and you do your job. This particular project we have gone a stage beyond our day job.”
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