Green Team win Top Award - 07-10-2008

They spend their days cutting grass, trimming hedges, planting flowers and weeding to make sure the borough of Wigan is a green and pleasant place.

And on Thursday (Oct 2nd) Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust's Greenspaces division got their just rewards for all their hard work by scooping a prestigious award that recognises business excellence in the north of England.

The team triumphed in the North of England Excellence awards held in Leeds, winning the category for public sector bodies with fewer than 250 employees.

Assessors highlighted the team's hard work balancing the needs of its stakeholders.

It provides a core service to Wigan Council whilst continuing to develop an ‘enterprise' commercial service which provides a profitable income used to enhance the service in Wigan Borough.

The excellent atmosphere, work ethic and impressive service offered were all commended by assessors.

Chief Executive of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Rodney Hill said: "It's the first time the organisation has participated in the awards and we are thrilled to win.

"We strive for excellence in all the services we provide and this recognition is a reflection of all the hard work and dedication shown by our staff."

Cllr Brian Baldwin, Wigan Council's cabinet champion for culture said: "This is great news for Wigan Council who work in partnership with the Trust for the benefit of the people of this borough.

"To be number one in this category is a fantastic achievement."

Applicants were required to put their organisation under a ‘business' microscope and undergo a rigorous assessment by a team of independent, specially trained assessors drawn from some of the region's leading companies and organisations.

The awards seek to recognise excellent organisations through rigorous assessment against the requirements of the EFQM Excellence Model - the most widely used organisational framework in Europe for assessing organisations for the European Quality Award.

David Teale, chief executive of award organisers North of England Excellence, said: "The winners show that any organisation, regardless of size or sector, can improve its performance and its results by following well-established business principles.

"We hope to inspire others in the region to aim for world-class standards."

This recognition is the culmination of a busy year for the Trust in its quest for excellence.

In May 2008 the whole organisation was assessed as part of the North of England Excellence Marques of Excellence Scheme.

This scheme aims to inspire and encourage organisations of all sizes and sectors throughout the UK to drive towards excellence, through self assessment and the implementation of real improvements. WLCT successfully achieved recognition at Commitment Marque Level.

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