Hard times bring accolade to centre
It can be as small as a mere trio, but the Team of the Year award recognised the importance of working together as a unit to get things done.
And for one team, the credit crunch has meant much, much more work.
The Community Legal Advice Centre opened in early 2008 in North End, providing free advice on legal issues, debt, housing and repossession.
The 'super Citizens' Advice Bureau' had already provided advice to more than 4,378 people since it opened in April until the end of the year.
The centre is headed by manager Gail McMillan, citizens' advice manager Simon Lawson and head solicitor Denise Childs, and has successfully blocked repossession actions against 86 per cent of those whose cases they have taken on..
Gail McMillan said: 'It's brilliant. We're a fantastic team providing a really important service to people in Portsmouth, particularly in tough times like these.
'The great advantage it gives to thousands of people with specialist and general legal advice makes us proud, delighted, and we're just thrilled to do that.'
In the runner-up slot was The Listening Company's Microsoft Team, a five-stong squad which has dealt with the computer giant's switchboard and directory since 2002.
It now handles around a quarter of a million telephone calls each year, and in their entry the team demonstrated a true dedication to their client, and to the job in hand.
Team member William Pentony said: 'We've had a great relationship with Microsoft for seven years now, so it's nice to be recognised and rewarded.
'We've had the same team members working here for five years. We've had a marriage within the team, and now we even have a Microsoft baby.
'This industry gets a bad rep, but this does show how great it can be.'
Helicopter engine and maintenance firm Turbomeca (UK), based in Fareham, was highly commended for the sterling results their eight team members have shown in the last year in boosting factor floor efficiency, and slashing waste.
Chief executive Christian Hamel said: 'Personally, I've been here for 15 months, but as a firm we've been around for 35 years.
'We've built a shop window here, a significant achieve-ment, and we're pleased to be recognised for serving our customers in this way.'
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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