They collect a range of vocational qualifications at Hampshire County Council's annual awards ceremony.

Staff from across the Adult and Children's Services departments will receive their awards from senior managers at the ceremony in Winchester's Great Hall on Wednesday

They work in a range of areas across the county, including foster care, the community response team, older people's residential and day services, mental health, residential child care, learning disabilities and management.

Staff have studied for up to two years to gain their qualifications, undertaking college sessions, workplace observation and assessment, and additional study in their own time each week. Close partnership programmes with local colleges and universities have been important in the achievement of these awards.

More than 2,000 county council staff now have National Vocational Qualifications.

The awards will be presented by the county council's executive member for children and families, Councillor Patricia Banks, Councillor Pat West, acting chairman of the safe and healthy people select committee, Councillor Ted Gale, vice-chairman of the safe and healthy people select committee and the county council's interim director for adult services, Nick Georgiou.

Cllr Banks said: 'The hard work of all staff who have received awards means that those who use our services will benefit from having well-trained staff with knowledge of the latest in care practice, while staff will benefit from gaining new skills.'