UK Worker of the Year Competition 2011

Shrewsbury Town FC Head Chef, Paul Crowe is Runner Up and Southport Lollipop Lady, Emily Jones takes the award for third.

Anna Simpson on stage with Quentin Willson (left)
and Dickies' Maurice Morton (right)

Anna Simpson, from Buxton has been crowned UK Worker of the Year for 2011, in Dickies competition to recognise and reward excellence in the British workforce.

In the gala awards finale, at Marlow's Crowne Plaza hotel, the Derbyshire charity support worker for the Amber Trust who provides practical help for adults suffering from mental ill health, picked up the award and a prize package that includes the choice of Renault MPV, Van or family Car.

A delighted Anna, said – "It's been absolutely lovely. I've met a fantastic bunch of people and to tell you the truth I'm just trying to take it all in. I know it will be life changing and I hope it will boost people doing the sort of work I do, who are often the unsung heroes."

Paul Crowe receives his award
from Maurice Morton and Quentin Willson

Shrewsbury Town Football Club Head Chef, Paul Crowe took the runner up prize, "The whole thing is absolutely unbelievable," enthused Paul.

"Every single one of the other people who has made it into the final is fantastic. I didn"t even think I would make it into the last six, so to actually receive the Runner Up award is so unexpected, I can't explain how great it feels."

Emily Jones goes
up to collect her award

North West England Lollipop Lady of the Year, Emily Jones was third."I was delighted just to have got this far," commented Emily. "But to come away with an award is fantastic recognition for the Lollipop Service."

Quentin Willson (l) and Maurice Morton (r)
flank the three Highly Commneded finalists (from L-R)
Jason Lawrence, Jen Whelan and Sam Gibbon

Highly commended were Newport electrician, Sam Gibbon, Jason Lawrence – an AV sales manager from Abingdon and Liverpool teacher, Jen Whelan.

"Choosing a winner from the six finalists we had was an enjoyable, but really hard task," enthuses Maurice Morton, European Sales and Marketing Director for the world-renowned workwear firm. "The standard of entries was notably higher this year than last and each of our finalists immensely impressed me."

UK Worker of the Year is now in its second year of seeking out, rewarding and promoting excellence in the British workforce.

"Dickies has come up with a fantastic initiative in these hard times – just the sort of positive thrust we need to help get us out of an economic recession," comments Chairman of Judges, TV Presenter and Consumer Motoring Champion, Quentin Willson. "The competition this year was even more intense than in 2010, which reflects the fact that word about UK Worker of the Year continues to spread wider."

Renault's Paul Steel, Anna Simpson,
Quentin Willson, Maurice Morton

2010 UK Worker of the Year, John Stone comments: "Congratulations to Anna. The work she does is fantastic. She is a very worthy winner of this year's UK Worker of the Year and I hope that she gets as much out of winning the title as I have done."

Dickies is proud to announce that it will again be organising UK Worker of the Year in 2012 as part of its commitment to the British market and the workers for whom the company provides quality, cost effective workwear.

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Look out for news about UK Worker of the Year 2012!