I would like to nominate the Admin Team at Ashgrove for all their help and support to all services within Environmental and Commercial Services.  The Team have coped so well with all the changes they have faced over the past year. 

I would also like to thank them all personally for the help and support they have given me as their Line Manager over the years.

A huge big thank you goes to Kerrie Walker, Anne Taylor, Michele Reidford, Gayle Beck, Audrey Scott, Jackie Greig, Lorraine Bromehead, Natalie Tompsett, Janice Legge, Susan Donaldson and Rory Kirwan your continued support is amazing.  

Message submitted by Susanne Greer (Admin Officer, Environmental and Commercial Services)

The entire Heating & Electrical Team has pulled together and worked tirelessly during the pandemic.

They have continued to provide an emergency service covering a wide range of areas from heating repairs, plumbing emergencies, electrical faults, emergency boiler replacements, voids and gas servicing.

This Team has not stopped delivering a first class service from day one of the pandemic and have continued to visit our Tenants often in very challenging circumstances.

They have provided this service without any complaints as they understand the need to look after our Tenants.

During the pandemic we have replaced hundreds of gas boilers, serviced thousands of gas appliances and attended to hundreds of emergency repairs.

None of the above would have been possible without the whole Team pulling together and putting the needs of others before their own.

Big thanks to the Heating & Electrical Team

Message submitted by Colin Watson (Heating and Electrical Manager)

I would like to thank all the Social Workers, Assistant Community Care Officers and admin staff within the East Community Care Team for all their hard work throughout the Covid pandemic.

I’d especially like to thank them for all the hard work they carried out in a very short period of time, and the use of their organisational skills to make the seemingly simple and comfortable transition for the residents moving from the Lythe Care Home to hopefully their new permanent homes.   

You are all fantastic and have done a wonderful job and I couldn’t be prouder of you all. Thank you all.

Message submitted by Mandy Higgins (Team Manager, East Team)

I would like to nominate Colin Smith at Buckie High School.

Colin has taken on an extra certificated classes this year due to a staff shortage as well as taken the lead with the higher PE. This has not been an easy year especially considering how badly PE has been affected yet Colin continues to suggest new ideas in order to create the best learning for his class in these tough times.

I’m very proud of how he has come on and made great use of his time in this second lockdown, it’s been a pleasure to work with him.

I would like to share a quick thanks for the hard work, willingness and commitment shown by all of my staff here at Findochty Primary School from the janitor, canteen and cleaning staff to my Admin, support staff and teaching staff.  They have all gone above and beyond in their efforts to support our school community.  My teaching and support staff have been open to ideas and taken on new responsibilities to ensure our children received the best possible learning experiences during these unprecedented times.

I have been very proud of all of them and would like their contributions acknowledged and celebrated.

Message submitted by Mrs Dawn Thomson (Head Teacher, Findochty School)

I would like to give a mention the Team at Burnie Day Centre in Buckie. When all other Day Services in Moray had to close their doors due to the Pandemic Burnie remained open to a small group of service users. This was risk assessed and done in support of a new partner agency who did not have the additional staffing in place if Burnie had to close the doors.

Service users were supported to a very high standard following Covid guidance at all times, which in the beginning was ever changing. To begin with facemasks were in limited supply but staff wore full PPE at all times which is hard going particularly in the summer months.

The work undertaken at Burnie during the pandemic has aided the remobilisation of the other LD services who reopened after the October break.
Thank you Team Burnie for once again going that extra mile for those we support!

Message submitted by Caroline Robertson (Day Service Co-ordinator|Burnie Day Centre)

I’d like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Care At Home Reviewers, Laura Allan and Alina Ross for all their hard work they have done over the past 12 months in regards to organising face masks and visors for Social Care Assistants across the whole of Moray each week to ensure we are all protected during Covid. We would have not managed this task without them and their professionalism and promptness each week has been dearly appreciated by myself.

Message submitted by Gordon Middleton (Care At Home Officer (Speyside)

The Technical Assistants, within the DLO Business Support Team have adapted and excelled during the COVID 19 pandemic ensuring consistency despite the many challenges they have encountered. Well done Team and Thank you! 

Message submitted by Tracey McKie (Business Manager, Building Services DLO)

I would like to nominate my team at Buckie High School Enhanced Provision (SED) as they have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic wearing full PPE without any complaints. As a result we have been able to have our youngsters with most severe and complex needs in school during the lockdown.  My team -  which includes teachers and PSAs - have been  supporting all the online learning for our students as well as preparing packs of work to be delivered home for those for whom this was more helpful and appropriate. We have collected prescriptions and shopping when needed for our families too.  We have had youngsters with complex needs in school every day and the staff have supported them with all their learning activities each day.

I truly believe that my team have gone above and beyond and am extremely proud of everything that our families and young people have achieved during these difficult times as a result of their support. I feel that they are truly deserving of this appreciation.

Message submitted by Sharon Aitken (PT ASN Buckie Community High School)

I would like to recognise the contribution of Fiona Macpherson Art and Design teacher at SPEYSIDE  HIGH SCHOOL

Fiona has been working in the High school hub since we opened in January, She is  always positive, enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive  of  students and colleagues at the best of times, but during this pandemic she shows herself to be a true hero.

I would also like to acknowledge Trisha Goodbrand our Head teacher and her SLT Team.

Trisha has been an amazing leader during this time, she inspires trust and confidence, through her kindness, humour, diligence and efforts to ensure a safe environment and positive blended learning experience for our entire community.  Our SLT is also working hard to ensure our community is supported. I wish to acknowledge their professionalism and show them all my appreciation.

There are many more that I would, like to mention. Despite the pandemic, I really believe our community is growing stronger.

Thank you Moray Council for the opportunity to send these wonderful people a little recognition.  

The Woodview Services for Vulnerable Adults and Children was rightly recognised in 2019 by winning a Star Award for the extremely difficult and challenging work they do. Nobody could have predicted that they would be required to carry on that work in a Pandemic the following year. To have done so in such a professional and compassionate manner is a testament to them but this year I would like to acknowledge the work of their Managers specifically.

I have nothing but praise for their perseverance, hard work, dedication and sense of humour throughout the Pandemic. They acted quickly in the face of the challenges it brought and completely redesigned the service to make it as safe as possible for the staff and service users. It has not been easy for them personally but they have stuck with it and led from the front.

They continue to maintain standards despite the pressure put on them and adapt as and when new regulations and requirements are introduced. A huge thankyou from me and I am sure, from the families of those we support.

Jodie Main has been instrumental in raising attainment in Maths and Numeracy at New Elgin Primary. She has overseen a working group to develop a pathway for Maths and Numeracy along with high quality assessments. She frequently leads whole staff development meetings on high quality learning experiences and effective interventions in Maths. Jodie also planned and implemented a very successful week for Maths week Scotland which improved parental engagement.

Thank you Jodie for your continued commitment and hard work!

Message submitted by Emily McLeod (New Elgin Primary School)

All Trades and Supervisors within the Repairs & Voids Team have worked tirelessly during the COVID 19 pandemic, ensuring emergency and urgent repairs are attended to along with completing void properties for the housing teams. 

The entire repairs and voids team has consistently worked to a high standard in some of the most challenging circumstances we have ever experienced.  

Well done R & V Team.

Message submitted by Tracey McKie (Business Manager, Building Services DLO)  

A massive shout out to all members of Sensory Education Service (SES) who have been busy supporting children with visual impairment or hearing loss during lockdown; either by being in school engaging directly in the learning of vulnerable learners; providing remote, face to face, live sessions to students in the their home; contacting and engaging with parents by phone and delivering resources to complement home learning.  

In addition; the team have been busy learning new skills such as subtitling which allow hearing impaired students access to the online presentations delivered by staff and developing their touch typing skills to allow for electronic note taking when return to school allows.  

On top of this they have delivered online social events for the senior pupils and supported each other informally through our social Whatsapp group with humour, enthusiasm and energy!

Message submitted by Paul Duncan (Principal Teacher Sensory Education Service)

Claire Brodie has been the Digital Co-ordinator for New Elgin Primary for the past 2 years. She has led the staff working group who train colleagues in digital learning through our digital journey. She has been instrumental in our progress and goes above and beyond in helping to support staff with using Glow, Google Classrooms, profiling and supporting learning and teaching for remote learning during lockdown. She has created a group of pupil Digital Leaders who she trained to help all the classes across the school set up their pupil profiles They will continue to support all pupils in digital learning on return to school.

She is working leading the self-evaluation towards the Digital Schools Scotland Award for which we registered in August 2020. On top of her own class commitment, she is always there to support colleagues and families from across the school to help and offer advice with any technical issues.

Thank you, Claire.

Message submitted by Elaine Milne (Head Teacher New Elgin Primary School)

I’d just like to mention the Housing Support Team, who have had to completely learn a new way of supporting Morays most vulnerable and challenging residents whilst working from home. The Housing Support Team have always been willing to take on that extra challenge with positivity and determination. The Housing Support Team work closely with a wide range of internal and external agencies, which ensures the people of Moray who require support in order to manage their lives and tenancies, are supported in a way which leaves them feeling enabled, empowered and confident.

Thanks

I would like to say a big THANK YOU! To all at the West Community Care Social Work Team.

Work has been hard throughout the past year and the team have continued to deliver a quality social work service to those we support. The Social Workers, Assistant Community Care Officers and Admin staff have continued to put a brave face on in difficult times, and have dug deep to cope with the challenges of Covid19, despite feelings of uncertainty, fear and anxiety.

They have faced many changes to the way in which they work, some harder than others, and have continued to do their absolute best and maintain professionalism at every point. We have added ‘you’re on mute’ as part of our daily vocabulary as many other workers have too! Embraced the use of technology and balanced this with the need to continue to have face to face contact with the most vulnerable in our communities – ensuring that they are protected and supported throughout this time and into the future.

Thank you! You are amazing

Message submitted by Vicki Low (Advanced Practitioner Social Worker, West Community Care Social Work Team)

The PPE Hub. When everything closed down a small team was started by Hamish Johnston in Rose Cottage to manage the PPE supplies within Moray for all that needed it. It soon became apparent that this facility was unworkable due to size and building restrictions so a move was a foot. The team grew in the new premises at Cedarwood which was a great facility. I’ve mentioned the team now several times these were people that were all volunteers from other departments within the council who came together to provide a storage, accounting and distribution service  for the Moray region. The majority of the PPE was provided for by the Scottish government and the NHS and so new systems of work had to be created and used to make everything work. At the height of everything there was 7 members of the team who had to come together to perform this task. 

They all did a remarkable job and put in the effort providing this service and keeping the supply lines open for all 7 days a week. Along-side the general PPE provision already mentioned, they also on a weekly initially basis made up kits to be distributed to home-carers made to the specific requirements of each individual carer and service user. For this extra volunteers came and helped and worked to produce at the height around 200 kits a session, so again a remarkable achievement born out of necessity.  

Message submitted by Darren Angrave (Asset Technician, Environmental and Commercial Services)

A massive thank to all the incredible hard work done by Elgin Lending staff since we reopened in August. They have dealt with staffing upheaval, being separated into different teams, new computer systems and operational processes, and a complicated and demanding order and collect system, along with some very difficult personal circumstances, all to make sure our customers can get books - so vital to mental health.

Throughout all of this, they have remained completely dedicated, positive and professional, and both customers and myself cannot fault their hard work, patience and enthusiasm. They are delivering an absolutely top class service which is a credit to the Council.
 

An extra special mention goes to our vital relief staff, who have stepped into the breach time and time again at very short notice to help support our library service and therefore our community, and who should be recognised as an incredible asset. We simply would not have been able to offer the service we did last year and I want them all to know how much I value them.

I have never been so proud to be on our team.

Message submitted by Charlie Overend (Senior Library and Information Assistant, Elgin Library)

The whole team at Anderson's Primary has gone above and beyond…. From Lockdown 1, recovery and return and now in to Lockdown 2. Every single one of them has been amazing and their care for each other, the children and their families has been outstanding. Nothing has been too much trouble and everyone has stepped up, upskilled and gone with the flow when things have been tough. I am so lucky to be part of this wonderful team.

Message submitted by Sara Neil (Staff Team, Anderson's Primary School)