Sergio’s the ‘wheel deal’

Saturday 13 April 2019

A shop manager who spends much of his time helping feed needy islanders has been given a top award by a leading Channel Island retailer.

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society have made Sergio Marcelino - the manager of their En Route St Peter store – their 2018 Ambassador in recognition of the work he does for Meals on Wheels.

Last year Mr Marcelino delivered 435 meals in his own time, often covering 17 miles of the island on each ‘round’. He uses his own car to make his deliveries, covering the cost of his travel as well as offering to undertake extra shifts to cover volunteer shortages and holidays.

Chief executive officer, Colin Macleod, said: ‘Sergio truly is our unsung hero, quietly bringing the Society’s values to life by serving his local community. Sergio brings happiness to those in our community who may otherwise be lonely. For Sergio it is not just about delivering a meal, it is about providing company, support and recognising when people need further help. He knows all of his clients by name and takes a genuine interest in their lives. He is an inspiration to us all.’

The Store of the Year category was won by Guernsey’s En Route L’Aumone.

‘The Store of the Year Award is one of the most coveted of the night. The team based at the En Route L’Aumone store won the award because they delivered the Best Balanced Scorecard across the entire group. In addition to collecting this prestigious award, they were also recognised for showing great generosity and compassion throughout 2018 as they supported a colleague. I am delighted to be able to recognise them and reward them for their kindness,’ said Mr Macleod.   

Pictured: Co-operative chief executive officer, Colin Macleod, says the awards evening gives the company the opportunity to share some remarkable stories.

The evening saw a number of other Society colleagues from Jersey collect individual effort awards. The reception team at Co-operative House, Jenny Bradshaw and Becky Hay, won the award for Endless Dedication to Customer Service as well as the award for Commitment to Delivering Excellent Internal Customer Service and Living the Values. Meanwhile, Maureen Loyer was awarded an accolade for Passion and Recognition for assisting a recently bereaved customer, showing such empathy and support that the customer was sincerely grateful and made this known. Slywia Jezierska-Swach also received an award for Passion and Recognition while Sergio Marcelino won the individual award for Recognition and Openness. Dotty Wilmont and Zelinda Figuiera received awards for Recognition and Passion, respectively. The Marketing team in Jersey was also recognised for Living the Society’s Values in the Community for their soup and curry kitchen which saw the team cook for their colleagues once a month to raise money for five local charities. 

Mr Macleod said: ‘When you’re part of something different, unique, meaningful, it gives you a sense of purpose, pride and belonging. Believing in the value of belonging has shaped our Society since we opened our first store in 1919. It’s why we put purpose before profit every day of the week and remains at the heart of what we do, today and tomorrow.’ 

Other winners from Jersey included the teams from Grande Marché St Peter, Pharmacy Locale St Helier, Locale Maufant, Locale St Brelade and the Developments team.

‘The evening is always a standout event in our corporate calendar. It gives us a chance to get together and celebrate the efforts of our colleagues and teams over the past year, and to share some remarkable stories of their achievements,’ said Mr Macleod.