The Isle of Wight Health and Safety Group has picked up the Gold Award for the third year running at a prestigious ceremony at the House Of Lords. An independent panel of judges also named the group as the overall winner of the Alan Butler Award. Lord Brougham of Vaux presented the trophy.
“The group feels very honored to receive these awards,” says Roger Kevern, Vice Chairman. “The group’s focus on the island is to try to cater for the needs of our members, and the majority of our businesses are SMEs. Over the last three years we have concentrated on the Health Risks at Work initiative, and in particular giving the message to our small businesses that these risks are real to them and that they need to be controlled and reduced. We were helped by a series of regular articles in Island Business magazine. There is still a lot of work to do but we hope that these awards will help by giving us a positive message to give to the news media on the island.”
The panel of judges considered factors such as how groups communicated with the community and other members; their program of events, seminars and topics offered through the year; member recruitment and retention; and how groups supported the Health and Safety Executive and its strategy.
All Chamber of Commerce members are entitled to free membership of the group for their first year. The IWHSG meets at the Isle of Wight College on the second Tuesday of every month from September to May.
Pictured from left to right: John Cairns – Chairman of Safety Groups UK; John Ashley – Chairman of the Isle of Wight Health & Safety Group; Lord Brougham of Vaux – President of Safety Groups UK; and Roger Kevern – Vice Chairman of the Isle of Wight Health & Safety Group.
