Compass Group UK & Ireland is delighted to announce Ementa Ngo, General Assistant Supervisor, as its 2023 Be A Star ‘Legend’. Ementa received the top prize of £10,000 at a special award presentation held at Central Middlesex Hospital in North West London.
In the second year of its relaunched recognition programme, over 2,000 Be A Star nominations were received throughout the year, with 324 winners celebrated across the business. But it was Ementa’s exceptional story that stood out to the judges who crowned her this year’s overall champion.
Robin Mills, CEO, Compass Group UK & Ireland, surprised Ementa at work, presenting her with a certificate and cheque in front of her thrilled colleagues and clients.
Ementa won the prestigious award in recognition of her remarkable bravery and quick thinking. When two men were attacked in different areas of the hospital, the emergency response team were deployed to one location, unaware at first that there was a second incident. Ementa, who was first on the scene, found a man with life-threatening injuries and immediately started to suppress the bleeding while providing reassurance until the second resuscitation team arrived. Commended for her outstanding courage and efforts, which helped saved a life, Ementa then continued to support her team with their daily duties, despite the ordeal she had just gone through.
Ementa is employed by Medirest, the healthcare division of Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s largest food and support services business, and was nominated by General Manager, Melanie Kallinga, in the ‘Colleague’ category of the Be A Star programme.
Be A Star asks teams to shine a light on outstanding individuals, nominating across three categories: Helping Colleagues, Delighting Customers and Supporting Communities. Winners are chosen across all Compass sectors including education, sports and leisure and healthcare, celebrating frontline heroes in roles ranging from cleaners and chefs to baristas and support teams.
The stand-out stars are selected quarterly and presented with a certificate, Be A Star pin and £250, as well as a paid day off to enjoy a regional “lunch is on us” with their nominator at a flagship Compass venue.
An emotional Ementa declared: “I was over the moon to win a Be A Star award but now to find out I’ve also won the Legend award is unbelievable! Thank you to Melanie for nominating me, and to everyone I work with for their support – I can’t wait to tell my family!”
Lisa Knight MBE, Chief Nurse of the London North West Trust: “I regularly bump into Ementa when I arrive at Central Middlesex Hospital, she always greets you with a massive smile, or a friendly wave and I see her interacting with our patients in the same way. During an incident at the hospital earlier this year, Ementa was part of the team who looked after an injured individual and was right in the centre of providing assistance. We are proud to have Ementa and all her colleagues as part of the Central Middlesex family.”
David Morgan, Contract Director, Medirest: “Ementa’s courageous response played a crucial role in saving a man’s life during a harrowing situation, making it difficult to praise her enough. She is the true definition of what Be A Star is all about, going above and beyond in her role, and in this instance above her call of duty. We are so proud and privileged to have her as part of the team”.
Robin Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Compass Group UK & Ireland, added: “Our people make a difference to the lives of those around them every single day. I’m immensely proud of all they achieve, and special thanks must go to our 2023 ‘Legend’ Ementa. Her actions exemplify her selfless and caring nature; demonstrating her unwavering commitment to her colleagues, those she supports every day and the community where she works. She is the pride of Compass.”
