AS THE festive season draws near, our hearts warm with the spirit of giving, kindness and goodwill, but for those in the fulfilment and commerce industries, it can be their busiest time of the year.
In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, it’s refreshing to pause and recognise those whose lights shine a bit brighter, spreading warmth and cheer not just within the workplace but far beyond.
Meet the Amazon Stars for 2023
Find out more about this year’s Amazon Stars here
This year, Amazon is proud to unveil its 2023 Amazon Stars; an initiative that spotlights exceptional employees who have demonstrated unparalleled kindness and generosity.
For the fourth consecutive year, Amazon is rolling out the red carpet for its own heroes, the Amazon Stars, in a heart-warming celebration of its employees who have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact on their colleagues and local communities.
Launching during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative originated as a way to honour the outstanding efforts of Amazon’s Operations employees, who kept communities running.
The Amazon Stars campaign comprises two integral phases: the first phase invites employees to nominate their peers, with hundreds of nominations across the UK and Ireland.
During the second phase, the winners are selected and revealed through a surprise video announcement.
Each video encapsulates the essence of the nominated Amazon Star, featuring a personal delivery of a tailored and thoughtful present (valued at approximately £1,500) for the nominees, as a thank you from Amazon.
These heart-warming deliveries (see what we did there?) not only thank the Amazon Stars for their selfless acts, but also serve as a gesture of gratitude from both Amazon and their colleagues during the festive season.
Raising thousands of pounds for charity
AmazonDan Marsden is one of Amazon’s winners for 2023[/caption]
One of this year’s Amazon Star winners, Dan Marsden, a Reliability and Maintenance Engineering Technician from Wirral, was selected by his colleagues not only for his years of incredible hard work at Amazon in Warrington, but also his tireless commitment to raising money for several different charities.
Dan raised thousands of pounds for baby-loss charity Tommy’s, a cause close to his heart. “Unfortunately, my wife and I have struggled to conceive,” he explained.
“When I left field service [in the Navy], we got pregnant for the first time, and sadly the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. I joined Amazon shortly after that and I wanted to do something to help other people who are in the same situation.”
“Around the same time, my friend’s sister lost a baby prematurely through stillbirth,” he added.
“We’re both gamers, so we decided to come together and do a 24-hour charity gaming stream to raise money for Tommy’s and Sands, another baby loss charity.” Collectively they raised over £3,000, but Dan didn’t stop there.
Dan and his friends have continued to raise money for Tommy’s and other local charities including The Clatterbridge Cancer Trust and The Trussell Trust, through walks and climbs such as the three-peak challenge.
As an Amazon Stars winner, Dan received a brand-new gaming setup, along with new gear for his upcoming charity hike to Mount Olympus.
In addition, both Maggie’s (a charity that supports people impacted by cancer) and Tommy’s received a £1000 donation, made on behalf of Dan.
Volunteering with orangutans in Borneo
AmazonAnn Towse is the second Amazon Stars winner for 2023[/caption]
The second Amazon Stars winner for 2023 is Ann Towse, an Interim Area Manager at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Wakefield.
Ann was nominated by her friends and colleagues for an Amazon Stars award because of her passion for volunteering and extensive work with the charity Orangutan Appeal UK and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo.
Ann shares, “During my first volunteering experience at Sepilok, I helped care for orphaned baby orangutans – cleaning their night enclosures, preparing daily foods and creating enrichment activities for them too. Seeing the look of desperation and helplessness in the eyes of the baby orangutan was the moment I knew I had to do more to help, and have loved orangutans ever since.”
Since then, Ann has gained a First-Class Honours degree in Wildlife and Conservation Management, using her knowledge and practical experience to support the charity as a Liaison Officer during an initial three-month long volunteer post in Borneo.
Earlier this year Ann returned for a second time whilst on sabbatical from her role at Amazon.
“Being a Liaison Officer for Orangutan Appeal UK has been a great privilege” Ann proudly notes.
She adds, “It instead focuses on promoting awareness of the orangutan plight by engaging with and educating visitors at Sepilok”.
While volunteering as a Liaison Officer, Ann has raised almost £50,000 for the charity, educated thousands of visitors and given presentations on the important work the team are doing.
She has also played a vital role in over 900 adoptions and currently holds the record for the most adoptions in one week at the centre, breaking a previous record she set during her time in post in 2017.
“For those that choose to support the charity, there is a symbolic adoption scheme which allows visitors to follow the rehabilitation journey of an orangutan at the centre for a small fee.” Ann explains.
“This money helps the charity fund 11 members of staff at Sepilok, including a wildlife veterinarian, who care for the orangutans during their time and the centre and aid in their rehabilitation.”
Ann continues to visit the centre when she gets the chance, and supports the charity by regularly giving presentations about its work at universities across the UK.
On site at Amazon in Wakefield, Ann also promoted the work of the charity with her colleagues at a dedicated stand during the annual worldwide Orangutan Caring Week.
As an Amazon Star winner Ann has received a travel essentials kit, which included a new action camera to document her next travel adventure. Amazon also donated £2000 to Orangutan Appeal UK on Ann’s behalf.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
