Award for Alex!
It was a great evening for Sycamore Trust at the 2022 Barking & Dagenham Chamber of Commerce awards yesterday, especially for departing Autism Ambassador Alex Rowley.
Alex was named as the BDCC Employee of the Year, a prestigious award recognising an outstanding employee. Sadly, Alex wasn't at the awards evening, held at Dagenham & Redbridge FC, as he is presently on holiday with his father, but mum Delia was on hand to collect the trophy on his behalf.
The award recognised an employee who has made a difference in the community, going above and beyond what may have been expected of them, for the benefit of others. Alex was shortlisted alongside Silvia Araguas Rodriguez from Sensor Coating Systems and Saima Jannath of Malearn Ltd and there was much celebration from assembled Sycamore guests, when Alex's name was revealed by judge Scott Dunnell of Fix Auto in Dagenham.
Sycamore were nominated for two other awards. In the Home Grown Talent Category, that recognises the organisation that has contributed to the borough of Barking & Dagenham, we made the podium, alongside Sensor Coating Systems and eventual winners Partybox, and in the hotly contested Jubilee Award, we were one of five shortlisted candidates, with the award going to Dagenham Redbridge FC, who have done so much for the area and the local community. As recently as this week, the football club became a vital part of the crisis response after the terrible fires that affected the local area. Their lounges were used to host evacuated families and several people even stayed the night, ably assisted by Daggers staff, who worked around the clock to look after their guests.
Among the other winners on the night were Care Optics, Laura's Gallery and Kromanti Ltd, ina wonderful night for the business community in Barking & Dagenham. It was also the first awards evening since 2019, after Covid cancelled the last two years.
After receiving Alex's award, mum Delia said;
"I brought Alex along to Sycamore Trust as a vulnerable seven year old. Sycamore supported him as a child, and adult and as an employee and his career has progressed as a result of the things he learned at Sycamore." Delia also thanked CEO Chris Gilbanks who persuaded Alex to try public speaking as a ten year old, and helped put him on his current path.
