The annual celebration of travel, Travel Weekly’s Agent Achievement Awards, took place on 13th July 2023 in London. The Travel Village Group were honoured to be shortlisted for 4 award categories:
Best Cruise Agency – Southampton Cruise Centre
North West Large Agency – Travel Village
Leisure Agent of the Year – Robert Lewis (Holiday Village/Live For Holidays)
Agency Support Team Member of the Year – Susan Forsdike
A handful of special awards were on offer on the night too, including the Mental Health Matters Award. These awards had no shortlist, and the winner was picked, by a review panel, from a number of nominations sent in by the management of various travel agencies.
Our reaction on hearing the name “Adele Barnacle”, as the recipient of the award, was pure unadulterated joy and elation for her. After completing a course to become a Mental Health First Aid Champion in 2022, Adele has created a positive working environment and a welcome safe space for anyone that needed to talk (about anything!).
Adele commented on winning the award:
I am in complete shock and disbelief at winning the award. I don’t feel that I have done anything out of the ordinary but to be kind to people who need it. However, winning the Mental Health Matters Award last night has made me realise just how much the little things count. Being a little bit kinder to ourselves and each other is so important, and that’s the attitude that I feel I’ve helped people in the business to embrace more.
Simple things around the office can make a huge impact on someone’s day. From arranging wellness packs, sending out mood charts, leaving positive notes outside the toilets and around the office to just generally checking in with people.
In the last 12 months I have been approached by a number of people, throughout the business. They’ve reached out to me because they know that I’m the mental health champion for the business, and I’m so happy that the business promotes the fact that anyone can speak to me. I feel honoured that they trust me with what’s bothering them, no matter how big or small they feel the problem is.
Congratulations Adele, and thank you for continuing to raise good mental health awareness throughout the Travel Village Group!
