I first came across RoSPA - the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - back in the mid 80s when I was training as a journalist with the then publishing giant IPC/Reed Business PG. Part of that involved what was effectively an apprenticeship on magazine 'Industrial Equipment News' - and as you might imagine from the title, health & safety played a big part in our readers' lives. As the team member responsible for the monthly Health & Safety column, I got to know the workings of RoSPA, the Health & Safety Executive and Health & Safety Commission and the British Safety Council pretty well, regularly attending press conferences and presentations and learning how crucial it was to share everything I learnt from these, with my readers. That sentiment hasn't changed over the years.

You'll be aware that I often write in these Leaders about cleaners - and their sometimes Churchillian efforts at keeping our surroundings clean and hygienic and thus us, safe and healthy - being ignored and sadly, far too often, abused. As you might well imagine then, I'm thoroughly thrilled at learning that a company which I consider to be our 'very own' Churchill Group has just been honoured with the President's Award at RoSPA's 70th Anniversary Awards for its health & safety performance - this partly in recognition of its fabulous achievement of 10 consecutive Gold Awards.

Churchill is the second largest Employee-owned Trust in the UK - an achievement in itself. Its specialist set of businesses - Amulet, Chequers, Churchill, Churchill Environmental, On Verve, Principle, and Price Support Services deliver sector-leading cleaning, security, guest services, water hygiene compliance and FM across the UK. Its clients enjoy the expertise in all sectors throughout the UK including The Instant Group, M&G, Scottish Power, The Institute of Directors, GTR, Eurostar, Network Rail High Speed, LSER, JLL, Port of Dover, Canary Wharf Management, Norton Rose, SCAS, Dorset Fire and Rescue, c2c, Northern Rail, and The GLA.

I know that last week I promised, "more of this next week" when giving tips on how to avoid failure in marketing and customer services - and that I try and make a point of not singling out individual organisations in my Leaders unless the circumstances are exceptional. But the fact that a contractor working in our sector has not only managed to overcome the stigma often associated with cleaning by being recognised so highly by such a well-known global player as RoSPA, but that it's managed to win 10 consecutive Gold Awards AND been honoured, this year, with the President's Award, is something that thoroughly deserved to take centre stage in this week's Cleanzine.

I'm sure you'll join me in congratulating Churchill Group on achieving this exceptional accolade! What a win!