In every career out there, there is always one employee who will go just that extra mile beyond their pay-grade, exhibiting passion for what they do and the people they serve.
The Extra Mile: Employee Endeavour Award, kindly sponsored by JD Hunter & Co Supermarket, aims to recognise an individual who, through their dedication to their role within a business, has demonstrated drive and passion.
Up for the award this year are two notable employees, Kelly Gardiner and Sinead Mackle.
Mrs Kelly Gardiner is the principal of Derryhale Primary School outside Portadown, and worked tirelessly since taking over the school during lockdown.
Kelly Gardiner
Just some of her achievements include; securing a grant to allow the school to build an outdoor play area, and achieving a ‘forest schools’ qualification, which allows her to take groups of children outside and teach them about various aspects of nature.
She also restarted the PTA – which had not met in many years – which has helped to organise many events and fundraisers for the school.
Thanks to Mrs Gardiner and her drive to seek the best outcomes for all of her pupils, this small rural school punches well above its weight! Vote for Kelly here.
Our second nominee, Sinead Mackle, has worked for the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) for over 12 years.
Sinead Mackle
Since taking up the post of Education and Outreach Manager in 2018, she has championed accessibility and inclusion and worked tirelessly to ensure the Planetarium is a venue that is accessible and welcoming to all.
Some of her achievements including realising a vision to provide a sensory room in the planetarium and sourcing the funds to provide a changing places facility.
In 2022, Sinead was nominated to be the Accessibility and Inclusion Officer with the British Association of Planetaria Council (BAP). In this role Sinead will be able to bring her positivity and out of the box thinking to Planetariums throughout the UK.
