Celebrating the first Gold Awards!
Organisations across East Sussex have been recognised for their commitment to healthier workforces at the 2024 Wellbeing at Work Awards Ceremony and Conference. The event took place at the Welcome Building in Eastbourne on 8th February.
Over 120 people joined us and Public Health Consultant Rachel Scantlebury to celebrate the achievements of all employers taking part in the East Sussex Wellbeing at Work Programme. 31 businesses from a range of different sizes and industries were presented with their awards, with 5 of them receiving two awards each: Heringtons Solicitors, Mitchell & Cooper, Old School Surgery, Seaview Project and Affinity Select Insurance Services Ltd.
The scheme provides local employers with an accreditation scheme to help them boost the health and wellbeing of their employees. It also shares useful resources and delivers free training.
Trophies
Rachel Scantlebury, Public Health Consultant
The first Gold Awards!
Celebrating the second anniversary of the programme launched in 2021, we had the first two organisations to reach the Gold Award:
- Servomex, a medium-sized manufacturer based in Crowborough, and
- Affinity Select Insurance Services Ltd, a small insurance broker based in Uckfield.
Julie Burridge, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Servomex, said: “We are delighted to have received the Gold Wellbeing at Work Award. Servomex have worked hard over many years to create a culture where the health and wellbeing of our employees is the most important priority.”
“The Gold Award has helped us to realise our achievement by evidencing what we have achieved over the years in terms of our Wellbeing Programme but to also point us in the direction of other wellbeing initiatives and topics which we may not have considered.”
Jenny Carter-Vaughan, Managing Director at Affinity Select Insurance Services Limited, said: “Health and Wellbeing is an important part of who we are and what we do, so we were delighted to get involved with the Awards. The whole team got involved and worked to make this a success, so the Gold Award is a big achievement for everyone who works in the business.”
Affinity Select receiving Gold Award
Exciting Talks, and a Fun Physical Activity
Mike Parker at Progress Health Partnerships presented the programme evaluation and the findings from its second year of delivery.
With the overarching theme of Building Mental and Physical Resilience, the event was also an upskilling opportunity for local employers. We had exciting conference talks woven into the day. Employment Advisor at Mind in Brighton and Hove Alexa Kerr spoke about building mental resilience in the workplace.
Patient Engagement and Transition Lead David Bullivent at Sussex MSK Partnership East and Advanced Practitioner Anne-Marie Pier at Horder Healthcare talked about building physical resilience at work to prevent musculoskeletal health problems. They shared some top tips to avoid back, neck and joints pain, and facilitated a fun activity to get everyone moving in a creative way!
Fun Physical Activity Challenge
We also had two case studies from awarded employers. Susanna Wallace from Care for the Carers, Small Business Bronze Award, talked about the successes and challenges of implementing a wellbeing group. Julie Burridge from Servomex, Gold Award, presented about their journey towards Gold.
Julie Burridge presenting Servomex’s Case Study
Promoting Local Health and Wellbeing Services
A marketplace area had 17 stalls from different organisations who provide health and wellbeing support services to local businesses: Mr. Hastings and St. Leonards Project, Health in Mind, RDP International, Mind in Brighton and Hove, One You East Sussex, Wave Community Bank, Care for the Carers, East Sussex County Council’s Life Transitions Service, Holding Space, ManKind, Neupauer Ltd, East Sussex County Council’s ESTAR Employability, Betknowmore UK, Sussex MSK Partnership, Sussex Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, East Sussex County Council’s Health Protection and Vaccination Engagement Team.
Interested? Want to find out more?
Have a look at our website for available resources, upcoming events and how to sign up. Once registered, organisations are provided with a welcome pack and supporting criteria handbook, with a step-by-step guide on the accreditation process and a ‘how to’ implement the criteria framework.
The Wellbeing at Work team also offer bespoke 1-1 guidance and advice to ensure that workplaces are supported on their journey to accreditation.
Marketplace Area
Award Winners:
Commitment Award – Ashdown Audio Visual, Charles Cox Ltd, We Group, Citizens Advice Eastbourne, Integrated Family Healthcare, Rotherfield St Martin, Saffrons Park Nursery, Sussex Community Foundation
Bronze Award – East Sussex College Group, Kurt J. Lesker Company, Rathfinny Wine Estate, Wealden Community Care Ltd, Heringtons Solicitors (also receiving Commitment Award)
Small Business Bronze Award – APAC Ltd, Care for the Carers, Community Supporters, Dawson Hart Solicitors Limited, East Sussex Recovery Alliance, Let’s Do Business Group, One You East Sussex, Mitchell & Cooper (also receiving Commitment Award), Old School Surgery (also receiving Commitment Award), Seaview Project (also receiving Commitment Award)
Silver Award – St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Sussex Housing & Care, Wealden District Council
Small Business Silver Award – Havens Community Hub, Industrial Construction (Sussex) Limited, Ridgeview Wine Estate
Gold Award – Servomex Group Ltd
Small Business Gold Award – Affinity Select Insurance Services Ltd (also receiving Small Business Silver Award)
Read more about those organisations’ achievements on our Awarded Employers webpage. Any questions about the awards or how to sign up, please contact the team at healthy.workplace@eastsussex.gov.uk
Press Release – Businesses achieve top healthy workplace awards | The Newsroom (eastsussex.gov.uk)