Blog | NJC

Thank Your Cleaner Month at NJC

Written by NJC | Nov 15, 2025 3:51:54 PM

Celebrating our people, our values and our winners

 

At NJC, our cleaning teams are the heartbeat of our business. Their care, consistency, and pride keep workplaces running safely and smoothly, often long before the day begins or long after it ends.

Around the world, Thank Your Cleaner Day is marked on October 15th. But one day didn’t feel enough to recognise the people who give so much, every day. So at NJC, we extended it into Thank Your Cleaner Month, from  the 15th October to the 15th November, giving us more time to recognise the people who make such a difference every day. Throughout the month, leaders visited sites, teams shared moments of appreciation, and colleagues received cards and chocolates as a small gesture of recognition for their work.

One highlight was a special visit from our founder, Connie Heppelthwaite, who met with cleaners on-site to personally give thanks for the care and professionalism that have shaped NJC for more than four decades. Her words reminded us that the success of NJC has always been built on the dedication of our cleaning teams.

 

Recognising excellence: The NJC Company Awards 2025

As part of Thank Your Cleaner Month, we also took the opportunity to celebrate and share the nominees for the inaugural NJC Company Awards 2025. These annual awards recognise individuals and teams who exemplify NJC’s values: Customer, Open, Respect and Excellence — and the professionalism that defines our work across the UK.

More than 70 colleagues were nominated across 10 award categories, recognising outstanding contribution, teamwork, and leadership across the business.

Each nominee reflects the standards, professionalism, and community spirit that define who we are.
Below is the full list of this year’s nominees:

Outstanding Cleaning Operative of the Year

Recognising excellence on site.

  • Sonya Topalova
  • Phil Mulholland
  • Maria Lucut
  • Jorge Acosta
  • Ewelina Ciombar
  • Juventino Deogracias Cachina Gaetjens
Exceptional Team Performance

Celebrating collaboration and shared achievement.

  • Arbor
  • Accenture
  • Broadway
  • Wembley Park
Client Excellence & Satisfaction

Recognising outstanding service and reliability.

  • Quintain
  • Arlington
  • Oxford
Innovation That Delivers

For practical, creative ideas that improve how we work.

  • Paul Stone
  • Dario Ordonez
  • Lee Hucker
NJC Culture Champion

Recognising ambassadors of our values and ways of working.

  • Antonio Magalhaes
  • Emma Heppelthwaite
  • Danny Holton
  • Alex Bailey
Inspirational Leader of the Year

Celebrating leaders who support, motivate and guide their teams.

  • Irina Feher
  • Evelina Mikuleniene
  • Alex Bailey
Living Our Values

Recognising those who exemplify Customer, Open, Respect and Excellence.

  • Emma Heppelthwaite
  • Helen King
  • Doina Marti
Rising Star

Highlighting emerging talent with exceptional potential.

  • MD Sabir Sakib
  • Ema Cocu
  • Carlos Costa
The Unity Award

For colleagues who bring people together and strengthen our culture.

  • Iwona Kurek
  • Petrina Peno
  • Mitzi Biddle
ESG Impact Champion

For meaningful contributions to sustainability and community impact.

  • Olga Dailydiene
  • Hernan Hernandez
  • Lee Hucker

 

Our congratulations go to all nominees! What an outstanding achievement.

 

Celebrating our award winners

Throughout the month, members of the Executive Team visited sites to personally present trophies and celebrate the achievements of our winners. Across the country, colleagues came together to recognise those whose dedication and teamwork set the standard for excellence at NJC.

 

Our 2025 award winners are:

 

Outstanding Cleaning Operative of the Year

Jorge Acosta

Exceptional Team Performance

Quintain Living, Wembley Park

Client Excellence & Satisfaction

Arlington Business Park

Innovation that Delivers

Paul Stone

NJC Culture Champion

Danny Holton

Inspirational Leader of the Year

Evelina Mikuleniene

Living Our Values

Doina Marti

Rising Star

MD Sabir Sakib

The Unity Award

Iwona Kurek

ESG Impact Champion

Hernan Hernandez


Each winner demonstrates what makes NJC strong, pride in their work, consistency every day, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

 

Why this month matters

This month was about more than recognition. It was about reminding ourselves of the value of essential work done every single day:

  • creating safe, clean and welcoming spaces
  • supporting customers
  • working with consistency and pride
  • representing NJC’s values in every shift

 

Cleaning professionals play a vital role in workplaces across the country and their work often goes unseen. TYCM gave us a chance to shine a light on that contribution, share stories from across the business, and celebrate the culture that keeps NJC strong.



A heartfelt thank you from all of us

To every NJC cleaner, supervisor, and frontline colleague - thank you.
Your work matters. Your effort is seen. And NJC would not be NJC without you.

We are proud of the care you bring to your roles and the difference you make every single day.

Thank Your Cleaner Month may be over, but our appreciation continues every day of the year.

From all of us at NJC, thank you for everything you do.