This very special award was introduced in 2010 to commemorate the life of Penny Akam, who organised the Globe Travel Awards for many years and who lost her battle with cancer in 2008. The Penny Akam Unsung Hero Award recognises unsung heroes in the travel industry, and is presented to an individual who characterises the special qualities that Penny embodied. The award was presented at a swanky ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House on Thursday, 17 January. Alex has faced her own battle with cancer, being diagnosed with progressive throat cancer in 2014 aged 14, when she was given three months to live. Alex beat the odds and in January 2015, after receiving an adult dose of chemo-radiation five days a week over six weeks, she was given the all-clear. Alex raised more than £50,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust during her treatment and went on to set up her own charity foundation, Alex’s Angels, to help families of children with the disease. Alex is a Hays Travel Apprentice Ambassador and one of the company’s top performing apprentices. Last year, she was a finalist in the Best Apprentice category of the North East Employee of the Year awards as well as scooping the North East Advanced Apprentice of the Year at the National Apprenticeship Awards. Alex also picked up the Highly Commended Apprentice of the Year award at the Christmas Party. Alex said: “Receiving the Unsung Hero Award at the Globe Travel Awards 2019 was an honour and I was not expecting to be nominated, never mind win it! I feel so grateful to have won this and so thankful to the people who put me forward for it! It has been a massive achievement for me, not just in my work life but also in my personal life; to be recognised for the hard work I put in to my charity, Alex’s Angels Foundation, means so much!”
Carole Hodgson at the North East Business Awards 2019.
Alexandra Turner-Davis picking up her Unsung Hero Award in January.
In March we were recognised as a top apprenticeship employer at the North East Business Awards 2019. Carole Hodgson picked up the award at a glitzy black-tie event held at Ramside Hall Hotel. The event was the second of three regional heats ahead of a grand final in May. Hays Travel won the top apprenticeship award for the Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside region and we will find out whether we are crowned top in the North East at the May finals.
Carole said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we have picked up yet another apprenticeship award. I’m so proud of our incredible training teams and all our amazing apprentices!” The North East Business Awards grand final takes place on Thursday, 16 May at Hardwick Hall Hotel in County Durham. UNSUNG HERO Hays Travel apprentice at the Jarrow branch, Alexandra Turner-Davis, received The Penny Akam Unsung Hero Award at the Travel Weekly Globe awards in January.
Hays homeworker, Lisa Read, was honoured with the same award in 2018.
IRENE HONOURED WITH TOP ACCOLADES Within the space of a week in November last year, Irene Hays received two extraordinary accolades; a Lifetime Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration.
First came the Lifetime Achievement Award, which Irene received on 8
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