Member Article

Mum who never stops picks up 2013 Superstar Awards title

A mum of two children under four, who keeps one of the North East’s top design and marketing businesses running efficiently while living with cerebral palsy, has been named the Overall Superstar at a new awards ceremony.

Samantha Jackson scooped the top title at the inaugural Entrust-Pitman Training Newcastle Superstar Awards, set up to recognise the office workers who keep the wheels of the region’s businesses turning.

Samantha, the accounts and office manager at Newcastle design and marketing agency onebestway, joined the business 10 years ago on a work placement when she was only 16. Since then she has risen through the ranks and is now the glue that holds the business and its sister companies together.

Nominating her for the award, Samantha’s boss and onebestway’s managing director Mike Owen, said: “For all four of our businesses, Samantha is bookkeeper, invoicer, payroll manager, CRM system manager, does all annual returns, welcomes all clients, tidies and cleans and is credit controller.

“At home, Samantha looks after two beautiful young girls aged two and four and her partner Marc stays at home to allow Samantha to retain this pivotal position in our companies. Samantha, though one would not really notice, has cerebral palsy. She has mentioned this two or three times in 10 years. Related sick days over 10 years of service are zero.”

Samantha received her award at a fun awards ceremony last night (Wednesday 20 November) at As You Like It in Jesmond.

Also honoured with a special title over and above the awards categories was Ben Armitage, whose dedication beyond the call of duty earned him the Rising Star Award.

Ben joined computer equipment disposal firm Innov8 Disposal at the start of the year as a Business Administration Apprentice. Despite a number of personal issues at the start of his apprenticeship, Ben was able to work through his problems and has since proved an irreplaceable asset to the firm by creating bespoke IT solutions to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Impressed with his dedication to his apprenticeship, the firm has created a new job for Ben and he will receive his full wage a month before completing it, in recognition of Innov8’s appreciation of his efforts.

The Superstar Awards were previously run as the Best Secretary on Tyneside but after lying dormant for a number of years, they were revived when Entrust took over Pitman Training Newcastle earlier this year. Pitman Training, which provides specialist secretarial, book-keeping and IT skills designed to equip the staff that keep the North East’s offices running like clockwork, is one of the UK’s Superbrands – those company names that everyone knows such as Google and British Airways.

Almost 50 nominations were made for the five award categories, which each recognise an essential facet of behind the scenes work which keep businesses ticking over efficiently.

Jill Duffy, Centre Manager of Pitman Training Newcastle, said: “Organising the 2013 Superstar Awards and reading through all the nominations showed what a huge wealth of talent we have behind the scenes here within the North East’s businesses.

“It was brilliant to give people the opportunity to be publically recognised for all the work they do, get dressed up and enjoy the awards evening. Congratulations to all our winners – and everyone who was nominated – because without you, it’s clear the region’s businesses wouldn’t be able to function as efficiently as they do.”

And the winners are: ·

The Number Cruncher Sponsored by RMT - Paula Henderson, Blu Sky Tax ·

Virtual-ly the Best Assistant Sponsored by Newcastle Business Village, Clavering House - Michelle Gudgeon, Perfect PA Services ·

PA Extraordinaire Sponsored by GEM Partnership – Debra Robinson, North East BIC ·

Customer Service Star Supported by Sage Gateshead – Alison Branton, Northumbrian Water ·

Jack or Jill of All Trades Sponsored by Pitman Training- Steve Raymond, QMS Engineering

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Astute.Work .