Thanks to our recent support of the Express & Star’s award scheme, we’ve had the honour of sharing much-deserved recognition with two hugely inspirational heroes for their continued work to help others.
The Heroes Awards 2019 took place at Marston’s House on Thursday 16th January where we were joined by all of the award winners, guests, and fellow sponsors including McDonald’s, WHP, HomeServe, Marston’s and the Mander Centre.
Our Commercial Director, Anthony Burns, had the pleasure of presenting the two awards we sponsored — Ambassador of the Year and Hero of the NHS 🏆
He said:
“We were honoured to have supported the Heroes Awards 2019 and were blown away with the quality of the entries we received. We had the opportunity to learn about so many special individuals who go above and beyond in our communities each and every day, so to pick just two winners was incredibly tough.”
After sifting through so many deserved entries, it was 13-year-old Louis Johnson who was crowned our very deserved Ambassador of the Year. Since the age of just five, Louis has fundraised over £25,000 for charities in the region such as Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, the Steve Bull Foundation, Mary Stevens Hospice and Cry Wolves, including £9,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
He told the Express & Star he was “shocked and proud” to win the award, saying it was an “added bonus” for raising the funds.
His mother, Teresa, added:
“It’s not just about raising money, it’s the behind-the-scenes work you don’t see – trying to get as much support as possible – and sponsorship. It’s only the second week of 2020 and he’s already got this award and he’s become the ambassador for Birmingham Children’s Hospital – I’m very proud.”
We were also thrilled to recognise Andrea Bexton as our Hero of the NHS for her work as a sister in the Neonatal Ward of New Cross Hospital. After experiencing two pregnancy losses, a baby boy who was born prematurely weighing just under 2lbs, and a little girl who also had complications, she decided that her purpose was to work in the neonatal department to help other families and babies in times of difficulty.
She studied for six years to make this a reality, and now works long hours at the hospital, always with a smile on her face.
Andrea commented on her win: “I wanted to give something back and I’ve been through quite a lot – but I’ve got my dream job now. It’s nice to see the babies go home with their parents. And it’s wonderful to get this award, it’s really nice. All the hard work has paid off.”
Being part of the Express & Star Heroes Awards was hugely rewarding and we were thrilled to sing the praises to all of those who deserve every ounce of recognition.
We’re ecstatic for Andrea and Louis, as well as for all the other winners who were recognised on the night — we wish them all the very best in the months and years to come!
Check out the full story over on the Express and Star! 😊🙌
