16 December 2019
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
The sixth annual Pride of Centra Awards ceremony took place recently in Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare, where a selection of outstanding Centra employees were honoured for their passion and commitment shown in the workplace this year. There were 54 employees from across the country shortlisted across six categories with Michelle McCarthy, Department Manager of Centra Cobh, Co Cork, taking home the Department Manager Award but also named as the Overall 2019 Pride of Centra Award winner.
The 2019 Centra Awards took place in Dromoland Castle.
Photograph Liam Burke/Press 22
Presented by Sybil Mulcahy, the Pride of Centra Awards celebrates the dedication and enthusiasm demonstrated by employees. Each of the shortlisted finalists have gone above and beyond their role to emulate the Centra brand values and ensure their store is at the heart of their community. The overall winner was selected from six category winners; Employee Award, Department Manager Award, Store Manager Award, Length of Service Award, Community Champion Award, Outstanding Customer Service Award & Overall Pride of Centra Award 2019.
Commenting on the Pride of Centra Awards, Dan Curtin, Centra Sales Director, said; “These awards were established to recognise and celebrate the incredible individuals who consistently live by the Centra brand values, each and every day. Centra stores operate in the heart of communities across the country and these awards not only provide the opportunity to showcase the amazing work that Centra staff do every day within the store, but also highlight the remarkable and selfless work they do within their local communities. Customers tell us time and time again that the number one driver of shoppers to Centra is our staff and we are proud and grateful for their dedication, commitment and passion for our brand.”
Pride of Centra 2019 Category Winners:
- Pride of Centra Overall Winner & Department Manager: Michelle McCarthy, from Centra Cobh, Co.Cork
- Pride of Centra Employee Award, Nikita Kelly, Centra Kells, Co. Louth
- Pride of Centra Store Manager Award, Connie Lynch, Centra Piltown, Co. Kilkenny
- Pride of Centra Length of Service Award, Brendan Deane, Centra Belmullet, Co. Mayo
- Pride of Centra Community Champion Award, Bridget McLaughlin, Centra Moville, Co. Donegal
- Pride of Centra Outstanding Customer Service Award, Rachel Ellis, Centra Kells, Co. Meath
Details about the Pride of Centra Winner:
Commenting in relation to overall winner Michelle McCarthy, Judge Paul Ellison said; “Since joining Murphy’s Centra Cobh, Michelle has helped turn the shop into a local landmark, famous for its fresh food and high-quality service. She is an inspirational leader that has built a fantastic team of staff and created a positive culture through continuously motivating, involving and encouraging all employees of the store. Michelle is loved by all the customers with her wonderful positive attitude, friendliness and enthusiasm and she is hugely involved in the community dedicating her time to many different initiatives and charity events every year. She truly embodies the Pride of Centra Award.”
The 54 finalists represented 19 counties; Dublin, Cork, Sligo, Waterford, Wexford, Donegal, Galway, Clare, Cavan, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo, Laois, Tipperary, Kildare, Kilkenny, Kerry, Carlow and Offaly. All shortlisted candidates were recognised for their ongoing commitment to their work with community initiatives, charity organisations, customer service and engaging activities in-store.
Centra is Ireland’s leading convenience retail group, with bright, accessible stores in over 465 locations throughout the country. Centra employs almost 11,000 people and serves over three million customers per week. Centra invests more than €240 million in local communities per annum, which is the equivalent of €4.5 million per week through a combination of payments to local suppliers, acquisition of local business services, wages, charitable donations and local sponsorships.
For healthy recipes, special offers or to find your closest Centra store please visit their website www.centra.ie or check out FacebookCentraIreland