|
Pyramids Shopping Centre Manager is Honoured at prestigious awards
ceremony
A Mum of 2
from Upton is celebrating after cleaning up with the top prize at a
prestigious awards ceremony. Pat Statham wiped the floor with the
competition at the coveted 'Interserve Unlock the Future
Awards' in London, which honour the efforts of its staff.
The 56 year old site cleaning manager, who is based at Pyramids
Shopping Centre in Birkenhead swapped her bin bags for her glad rags
after making the award shortlist.
Winning £500 and a slap-up meal and champagne reception at Mayfair's
luxury hotel, Claridges at a divisional ceremony, she then went on
to claim the overall title in the 'Everyone Has A Voice'
category, earning herself a further £2,000 and dinner for two in
the capital's sky venue, Altitude 360.
It all came about after Pat's manager, Will Bloomfield, put her
forward in recognition of her hard work, dedication and her running
of an efficient team.
The nomination was then backed by Derek Millar, Commercial Director
for Pyramids Shopping Centre, who provided a glowing testimonial.
Pat, who manages a team of 22 people, said she was "delighted"
just to have been considered, and was surprised when she came out on
top after pitting her wits against hundreds of other hopefuls.
Pat Statham
explained:- "There was more than 200 entries for the awards
and I was against such stiff competition, so I really didn't expect
to get anywhere near the shortlist to be honest. To find out I had
been whittled down as a finalist, came as a really lovely surprise.
I was treated like a star with a champagne reception and a 3 course
meal at Claridges, it was amazing. After that, I was then invited
back to London for a meal at Altitude 360, where I found out I'd won
the main prize in the award category which honours those people who
live the values; called Everyone Has A Voice."
Ready to spend her well deserved prize money on a holiday with her
husband and 2 grown up children next year, Pat added:- "My job
involves managing a team of 22. It is more of a managerial role
really, but I am also used to being hands on and getting stuck in
with anything that needs doing, so if the toilets need cleaning, I
will clean them. I've been told I've saved my company thousands of
pounds by being efficient."
Commercial Director for Pyramids Shopping Centre, Derek Millar
said:- "Pat is a really hard and dedicated worker who leads
her team well and is very efficient in her duties. I was only too
pleased to provide a testimonial for her award submission. I am
extremely pleased that her efforts have been recognised with this
award. She truly does deserve it and we are all extremely proud of
her achievements."
Pat, who has worked for Interserve at Pyramids Shopping Centre for
more than 6 years, has a history with the Birkenhead centre which
goes back further. Pat added that:- "I haven't always worked
in the cleaning industry. In fact, I'm relatively new to it. My
career started in retail many years ago, when I used to have a
little record shop in the Town centre, which was then known as The
Grange. Then I went to work for Marks and Spencer in Birkenhead
before working for many years at Sainsbury's in Upton. It's funny
how my career has gone full circle bringing me back to where I
started almost. This is by far, the best job I've ever had. I just
find it so enjoyable and rewarding. I'd just like to say a really
big thank you to my team and the Shopping Centre management."
For more information about Pyramids Shopping Centre go to:-
PyramidsBirkenhead.com or go
onto the centre's Facebook Page or Twitter account @PyramidsSC to
find out more.
|
 |
Esther McVey visits Pyramids Shopping Centre to learn of rapid
success
EMPLOYMENT minister Esther McVey
visited a Birkenhead Shopping Centre which has created more than 150
jobs and invested more than £2m since it changed hands 3 years ago.
Senior bosses at LaSalle Investment Management, which manages
Pyramids Shopping Centre, welcomed the Wirral West MP to the
Birkenhead retail hub to present the dramatic progress which has
been achieved since they took over in 2011.
Since taking over the reins the Pyramids management team have
reduced the vacant unit space four fold from 40% to 9% - and
attracted big name brands including TJ Hughes, H&M, Costa Coffee,
Liverpool Football Club and the popular and rapidly
expanding, locally started jewellery business, Mococo.
Andrew Bull, Fund Manager, and Ben
Notley, Associate Asset Manager, for LaSalle Investment Management,
presented the progress to Esther and they explained how more than
£1m had been spent improving the look and feel of the Shopping
Centre as part of a comprehensive long term strategy for the retail
scheme. Ben said:- "We have re energised the Shopping
Centre to show the local population that we are investing in it and
giving them something to be proud of. The introduction of new
businesses such as H&M and Costa means that generally there has been
an increase in shoppers aged 16 to 34 and young families which has
been a very positive step for us and an important market to capture
and we continue to work hard to engage with these shoppers."
Major improvements include £500,000 on modernising the Centre's 2
Car Parks so shoppers have seen new lifts and up to date Car Park
equipment installed along with state of the art LED lighting to
ensure they feel brighter and safer to use.
Extensive repairs and updating to the outdoor part of the Shopping
Centre has cost in the region of £250,000 and a new heating system
in the indoor area has cost £160,000. Finally the centre has
undergone a major rebrand including new signage throughout, costing
in the region of £300,000. Andrew added:- "From extensive
surveys we have conducted, we are now perceived as a better place to
shop by a whole range of people which is highly important to the
future success of the Shopping Centre. Now you will see people in
suits coming to us for a coffee before work and it is this step
change, encouraged by the introduction of new brands such as Costa,
H&M and Mococo which has allowed Pyramids Shopping Centre to step up
a gear and meet the needs of different shoppers."
The Minister was also shown details of a wide range of highly
successful events aimed at reaching out into the community which
have encouraged footfall and had positive feedback from visitors.
These included a summer programme of free events captured within an
indoor forest created at the Shopping Centre called Wirral Junior
Rangers. Young shoppers had the opportunity to link up live with
rangers in Central Park, New York, as part of the project. There was
also a Love Wirral Festival which included a host of local talent
including Wirral Ukulele Orchestra and teen singing sensation
Tabitha Jade.
Esther also mentioned her recent trip to the Shopping Centre to take
part in an Everest Challenge in aid of Arrowe Park's Neo Natal Unit.
Teams of men and women rowed the equivalent in metres of the
circumference of and height of the world's highest peak to raise
money for the Wirral hospital.
Speaking after her visit and tour to Pyramids Shopping Centre, which
welcomes close to 14m shoppers a year and collectively employs
around 1,200 people, Esther McVey, said:- "As such a major
employer in the Town, it is uplifting to hear of the fantastic
amount of money and expertise which has been pumped into the
Shopping Centre. Pyramids Shopping Centre is at the heart of
the Wirral and it is vital to people for jobs, as a social hub and
as a place to come and shop in bright and safe surroundings.
It is wonderful to see the positive changes LaSalle Investment
Management have brought to the centre, reducing the number of vacant
units and creating jobs which benefits not only Birkenhead but also
the Wirral as a whole."
Esther's visit comes shortly after the Shopping Centre announced the
success of its green technology improvements. It has invested more
than £500,000 in new green energy technology and in a 12 month
period, running to July this year, the huge annual utilities bill of
£200,000 was cut by 13%, triple the Shopping Centre's original
target of four% and saving the Shopping Centre a grand total of
£26,000.
For more information about Pyramids Shopping Centre go to
PyramidsBirkenhead.com or go
onto the centre's Facebook page or Twitter account @PyramidsSC to
find out more. |
