Public Servants of the Year Awards 2004 - The Finalists Issue

Welcome to the fifth e-newsletter for the Public Finance Public Servants of the Year awards 2004. It's been a busy few weeks since you last heard from us - the judging is now over, the finalists have been notified, and our sponsors have been to the Grosvenor House Hotel for a briefing session on the practicalities for the Awards night on 10 May 2004. So preparations are well and truly under way for the big night itself. We also have a request from UNISON for entries to its Bob Cotton Citizenship Award.

AND THE FINALISTS ARE…

The judges were under enormous pressure this year to decide this year's finalists, but having sifted through a record number of entries, Public Finance is pleased to announce the following finalists for the Public Servants of the Year Awards 2004:

Individual Awards

Team Awards

The Public Servant of the Year 2004 Award, sponsored by Zurich Municipal, will be presented to the overall winner of the Individual Award winners.

The Public Service Team of the Year Award 2004, sponsored by UNISON, will be presented to the overall winner of the Team Award winners.

OUR CHOSEN CHARITY

The 2004 awards are again proud to support the UK children's charity NCH to which a presentation will be made at the 2004 ceremony. NCH is one of the UK's leading children's charities, working in partnership to run over 500 projects for the most vulnerable children, young people and their families and in doing so supports over 100,000 people. NCH gives the children and young people it works with the opportunity to reach their full potential by offering them diverse, innovative and responsive services and by campaigning for change. NCH projects are varied because they are developed in response to local needs and range from adoption and fostering services to youth homelessness projects and family centres.

For further information visit http://www.nch.org.uk.

THE AWARDS HOSTS

We are delighted that Dermot Murnaghan and Mary Nightingale will once again host the ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday 10 May 2004. Here are a few facts about them.

Dermot is familiar to most people as the face of BBC Breakfast. But it's probably a little known fact that he is also a vice-president of the NCH, one of the leading UK children's charities. Prior to joining the BBC in 2002, Dermot presented the ITV Evening News with Mary Nightingale, his co-host on the 2004 Awards night. He moved to the programme having previously fronted the ITV Nightly News, which was launched in March 1999. Since 1992, he co-presented ITN's Lunchtime News and ITV's daily news summaries. He has also worked for Channel 4 News and won the prestigious Newscaster of the Year award from the Television and Radio Industries Club in 2000. He also scooped the Interview of the Year award from the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards in 1998 for his vigorous interview with the former trade and industry secretary Peter Mandelson who resigned the next day.

Mary is best-known for co-presenting the ITV Evening News but, like Dermot, she is also a vice-president of the children’s charity NCH. Until April 1999, Mary was co-presenter with Alastair Stewart of London News Network's flagship news programme London Tonight. She was also sole presenter of London Today, Carlton's lunchtime magazine programme. She has anchored Wish You Were Here? And she has presented The Really Good Food Show, I-Spy, Most Wanted and Ratrap for ITV. Mary has also worked for the BBC presenting the Holiday Programme on BBC1 and presenting BBC Ski Sunday in 1996. She has also worked for the BBC Word Service and for Reuters Financial Television.

STILL HAVEN'T GOT YOUR TICKET TO THE CEREMONY?

The Awards ceremony takes place on MONDAY 10 May 2004 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London. Tickets are available to individuals and organisations that want to enjoy this glittering occasion. To ensure you have your ticket, please contact Debbie Keogh on 01689 897228 or email her at Debbie@keogh9101.freeserve.co.uk.

AWARDS 2004 KEY DATES

There's just one key date left...
Awards ceremony: MONDAY 10 MAY 2004

See you there!

BOB COTTON CITIZENSHIP AWARD 2004

Bob Cotton was a member of UNISON's National Executive Committee until killed in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash in 1999. Bob was an extremely active member of his community as a trade unionist, councillor, and school governor. In his memory UNISON run an annual 'Citizenship' award. A prize of £5,000 goes to the generous individual who is judged to have made a meaningful contribution to their community.

Last year two entries were outstanding. Both dedicated their lives to bringing together communities, despite racial or religious differences. Both believed passionately in their role to help people in their communities, help themselves.

People are nominated from a variety of backgrounds, not just from UNISON or other trade unions. The closing date for nominations is 16 April 2004 and the award will be presented to the winner at UNISON's National Conference in June. For more information please visit the website www.unison.org.uk/bobcotton or telephone UNISON direct: 0845 355 0845.

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