Tina presented with first ever Costa Passion Award for her commitment and dedication
A member of UHDB’s catering team has been awarded with the first ever Costa Passion Award for her commitment and dedication to customers and patients at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital.
Catering Supervisor, Tina Wass, was presented with the award in June for the great work she does at Café Retreat, making her the first person to receive the new accolade.
Tina, who has worked in catering in the NHS in Lichfield for 31 years, said she was thrilled to recognised for hard work. However, Tina admitted that it all came as a big surprise Costa’s Head of Corporate, Nicky Godd, and Head of Business, Christine Heaton, both came to present her with her award:
“When they first came to see me and asked me to come around the other side of the counter, I thought I was in trouble!
“It really made my day and I’m still on a high now. I just thought ‘wow’, what a nice thing for them to have done and to be the first ever recipient of the award made it all the more special.
“All of my managers came round to say congratulations to me as well, and they were all really excited too which was just so lovely to see.”
Tina has been a mainstay in the NHS in Lichfield, with a career spanning four decades. It was back in 1991 that Tina started as a Catering Assistant at the former Victoria Hospital in Lichfield.
Tina said: “I always thought I wanted to be a nurse and I was really interested in joining the renal team, but I have a huge phobia of needles, so that scuppered that for me!
“So I joined the catering team, which back then used to encompass cooking food for patients. I saw my job as being part of the patient’s recovery by fuelling them to get better – almost like my food was part of their medicine.”
Since then, Tina qualified as a Chef in 2000 and has since worked at an array of hospitals in the area, including in Barton under Needwood, Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Tamworth and now at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital.
Tina added: “I love my job, I really do, and this award just means so much to me to be recognised in this way so thank you to everyone who was involved.”
Jackie Marriott, General Facilities Manager, said: “I was absolutely delighted when Tina called me to say that they were the recipients of the award. The team work so hard to serve patients, staff and relatives and they epitomise customer service.
“So whilst it was a lovely surprise I’m not shocked as I could not think of a more deserving recipient.”