High Sheriff recognises Council staff for helping community during pandemic

Blackburn with Darwen Council staff have been awarded a certificate by the High Sheriff of Lancashire in recognition of their exceptional service to the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

The certificate was accompanied by a letter from the High Sheriff of Lancashire, Mrs Catherine Penny, who, on behalf of the people of Lancashire, thanked Council staff for putting others before themselves and helping those in the county who were facing such difficulties.

Denise Park, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

I’ve been proud to see Council staff pull together and work in new ways to help the local community through the pandemic. We never expected the year to turn out like it has, at short notice we had to implement new schemes like the Help Hub and deploy staff elsewhere to help keep residents safe.  We’re honoured to receive this certificate in recognition of everyone’s hard work.

The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Iftakar Hussain, said:

I too am proud of the way that staff have responded to the pandemic.  Since March, our community has been faced with difficult challenges, but staff at the Council have worked hard to support residents and the most vulnerable in our community through these tough times.

The High Sheriff of Lancashire, Mrs Catherine Penny, added:

It has been a pleasure to be able to recognise and thank some of those in Lancashire who have helped others in the community during the pandemic.  I have been privileged to hear of the many ways in which people have worked together and gone well beyond what would have been expected in their normal employment.