In its fourth year now, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Health and Wellness Awards today saw a conference room full of finalists and special guests in high anticipation of the announcement of winners in this year’s competition.
Companies, NGO’s and schools in Nelson Mandela Bay are invited to enter the awards which acknowledge best practice in health and wellness in Nelson Mandela Bay. This is the only Award of its kind nationwide, which provide companies and NGOs with a high-profile opportunity to gain recognition for their best practice health and wellness programmes.
New entries this year included SA Canopy who took first place in the medium enterprise category. Orion Engineered Carbons was the small enterprise winner and Lumotech, another new entry into the competition, took first place in the large enterprise category with Borbet SA receiving a certificate of commendation. In the NGO category Missionvale Care Centre won first place while second place was awarded to Care Ministries and third place St Francis Hospice. A special category for public service was added this year with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality winning this award.
“Thank you to the Business Chamber and the Health and Wellness Committee for creating this category, well done to the team in their efforts to also get this award. These awards recognize the efforts out there and make sure we pull together so that every individual in South Africa receives optimum health,” said Dr Xolile Ketse of the Municipality.
A new category, the Metro’s Wellness Champion was won by Dr Johan Strombeck a retired Bay doctor and volunteer at the General Practitioners’ Unit at the Missionvale Care Centre. This new award recognizes the efforts of an individual who is driving health and wellness in their organization thus contributing to health and wellness in the Metro.
A humble response to his win Strombeck thanked the Chamber’s Health and Wellness Task Team and judges saying: “It brings tears to my eyes when I think of our patients this recognition is truly humbling as I don’t do this to win any awards.”
Linda van Oudheusden who received the NGO category award for Missionvale Care Centre said: “These awards add credibility to our centre and helps to further our services to the poor”.
Professor Piet Naude, Vice Rector: Academic at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was the guest speaker this morning. He spoke on a fitting topic to open up the awards ceremony with an engaging and thought provoking talk on wellness – a relational concept in all aspects that if you are well intellectually, physically emotionally, volitionally and spiritually then you will be well all ‘round.
This year’s category winners were:
Small enterprise winner – Orion Engineered Carbons
Medium enterprise category winners – in first place SA Canopy and second Veyance Technologies
Large enterprise winner – Lumotech in first place and Borbet SA received a certificate of commendation
NGO Category winner- Missionvale Care Centre, second was Care Ministries and third place was St Francis Hospice
The Metro’s Wellness Champion was won by Dr Johan Strombeck of Missionvale Care Centre.
A special category for public service was added this year with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality winning this award
The Awards showcase best practice in health and wellness in Nelson Mandela Bay and focus on what Companies, NGO’s and Schools have achieved in 2011, from wellness to community-based initiatives.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Health and Wellness Awards are spearheaded by the Chamber’s Health Wellness Task Team. They aim to recognize the commitment, innovation and resourcefulness of participants as well as the sustainability of their efforts in encouraging a proactive approach towards health among the employees.
Health and Wellness 2012 NGO Category: Winner – Missionvale Care Centre. Second – Care Ministries. Third – St Francis Hospice
