Compass crowns cleaner Jackie Kennedy as its first Be A Star ‘Legend’

Compass Group UK & Ireland has crowned cleaner Jackie Kennedy the winner of its very first Be A Star ‘Legend’ award, landing her £10,000 and marking the culmination of the first year of its relaunched recognition programme.

An impressive 2,568 colleagues were nominated throughout the year, but Kennedy’s story resonated the most with the judges, who selected her as overall champion from among the 325 other deserving Be A Star winners.

Robin Mills, Managing Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland, surprised Kennedy at work at Essar in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, presenting her with her prize in front of her colleagues, clients and nominator.

Kennedy won the Be A Star ‘Legend’ award in recognition of her incredible charity work. She started collecting loose change she found while cleaning, kicking off a fundraising campaign for Ukrainian refugees which led to £110,000 being donated to the Red Cross. On top of the demands of her job, Kennedy also provides support to a young persons’ homeless charity.

Kennedy is employed by 14forty, one of the country’s leading facilities management companies and part of Compass Group UK & Ireland. She was nominated by Ian Hillard, Transition Director with 14forty, in the ‘Supporting Communities’ category of the Be A Star programme.

Hillard said: “Jackie has been a wonderful member of my team for many years – she shows the very best of human nature, and her selflessness knows no bounds. I am so proud to have Jackie representing 14forty at my contract every single day.”

Commenting on her award, Kennedy said: “I just can’t believe this has happened to me! I want to thank Ian and everyone I work with – I can’t wait to tell my daughter!”

Be A Star asks teams to nominate colleagues across three categories, who have gone above and beyond in: Helping Colleagues, Delighting Customers and Supporting Communities. These people work across Compass sectors including healthcare, education and sports and leisure, representing frontline heroes in roles such as cleaners and retail workers, to chefs and support teams.

The programme runs every quarter and each winner is presented with a certificate, Be A Star pin and £/€250, as well as a paid day off with their nominator to enjoy a celebratory regional “lunch is on us” with other deserving colleagues at one of Compass’ stand out venues. This year venues included Twickenham Stadium in London, Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire and Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Northern Ireland.

Mills added: “Compass is nothing without our people – they make a difference to the lives of those around them every single day. I’d like to say thank you to all of our people for all they do and an especially huge well done to our 2022 ‘Legend’ Jackie Kennedy, who has received our highest accolade in recognition of her hard work, fundraising and extraordinarily selfless dedication to others in her community. Her own courage, resilience and spirit shine as a beacon of the best of human nature. She is the pride of Compass.”