STAFF at East Renfrewshire Council have been recognised for their hard work at the council’s first ever staff awards ceremony.

The We Are East Ren Awards, which looked to highlight hard-working staff who go above and beyond for residents, saw almost 100 people gather at Clarkston Hall last week.

Employees from across the council and East Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) were in attendance as a panel of judges decided on winners from five categories.

Among the winners were the council’s Team of the Year, the Winter Maintenance Service team, who kept the area’s roads and pavements open for much of the unseasonably snowy weather throughout the cold season.

Chief executive Lorraine McMillan said: “It was wonderful to celebrate the amazing contribution made by so many of our staff.

“As our recognition scheme grows in the years ahead I hope that it will instil a sense of pride into our entire workforce.”

Refugee resettlement housing officer Jumana Almusawi took the Putting People First award after playing a key role in supporting Syrian refugee families to settle in the area.

Architect Ellen de Lombaerde received the Going the Extra Mile award for her work on the council’s submission to the Scottish Government on the upcoming expansion of Early Years provision across the area.

Meanwhile, the Young Employee of the Year was David Saleh, who has played a major role in the environment department in digitising the process for working with commercial waste providers.

The Levern Valley Rehabilitation and Enablement Service took the final prize of the ceremony, scooping the Innovation and Improvement award for reducing the waiting times of residents requiring occupational therapy.