Winner: Jackie Kennedy, 14forty
Sponsored by: Linaker
It’s what colleagues say about Jackie Kennedy that sets her apart; she is “a pure inspiration” who is “so deserving” and “completely selfless.”
Over the last thirteen years, Jackie has worked for 14forty at Essar Oil UK’s Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Cheshire. But who is this year’s IWFM Impact Awards frontline hero?
Peers recognise the thought that Jackie puts into people and projects. She helps young people who are homeless or have developed substance-abuse problems, working with local support groups to offer emergency accommodation. In one instance, Jackie gave one man a home for four years and supported him through catering college; he is now a restaurant manager.
This involvement in others’ lives has also included putting up a structure in her own back garden as a place for people to stop by for a cup of tea and a chat – a resource for the lonely and those living on the edges of society.
In a broader sense, Jackie is constantly creative. On the Essar site, Jackie cleans the changing-room facilities for one of the site’s sub-contractors, Bilfinger, and in this work she often finds loose change on the floor. She agreed with her fellow operatives that she could collect this money – usually around £20 a month – and donate it to the charity Shelter. More recently, she asked if she could use the money to buy feminine hygiene products for Ukrainian refugees instead. When Bilfinger heard about the initiative, they decided to roll it out to all their European sites and match any money collected. So far, £110,000 has been raised to help women and girls escaping the Ukraine war – all the result of Jackie’s project.
And all of this while Jackie has had to deal with osteoporosis and no fewer than four cancer diagnoses.
Compass Group UK & Ireland – parent company of 14Forty – is so proud of Jackie that managing director Robin Mills last year crowned her Compass’s first ‘Be a Star ‘Legend’’, giving her a cheque for £10,000.
Those who proposed Jackie for this year’s award speak of the gentle, unobtrusive way in which she makes others consider how we can do our bit for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Jackie – in her colleagues’ words
“Jackie is lovely. She helps anyone and everybody. She’s so deserving of everything that’s coming her way.” – Shelly Jones, cleaner, 14Forty
“Jackie is just a pure inspiration. Everything that she does is completely selfless. The way that she treats people around her, her colleagues, people outside of work is just phenomenal. She is an inspiration to all.” – Jane Jones, head of procurement and supply management, Essor Oil UK
“The reality of Jackie is that it’s never-ending. Her charitable work makes everybody else feel uncomfortable about what they do in life. She has been a support mechanism for so many people over the years, more than she’ll ever say.” – Ian Hillard, transition director, 14Forty
“Jackie is really deserving of this because she’s so compassionate about people and everything in life. The things that she does are unbelievable. She doesn’t put herself first at all, everybody comes before whatever she’s doing in life. The heart that she’s got is, well, just massive.” – Chris Leask, cleaner, 14Forty