IS one of your colleagues worthy of an award?

The Worcester News has teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire to find the best work colleagues in the two counties.

It is all part of the Chamber Awards 2007 which celebrates the best of business that Herefordshire and Worcestershire have to offer.

The Employee of the Year award celebrates the drive, determination and ability of an employee - those who really make a difference. They must have played an influential part in the success of the business by going beyond the call of duty.

Maybe your colleague shows ambition and creativity in their approach together with a desire to succeed or excels against all performance related objectives and targets?

Or perhaps they inspire colleagues and motivate others? They might get along with everybody and muck-in, or be a role mod-el which others aspire to?

Last year's winner was Sandra Greenhow, a school matron at Christopher Whitehead Language College in St John's, Worcester, who was awarded for her tireless dedication to students and staff over the past 15 years.

"I have never experienced anything like it in my life," she said.

"It meant such a lot to me even to be nominated and was wonderful that colleagues and even pupils voted for me.

"I would definitely recommend for businesses to nominate their employees - it really was such an honour and my glass trophy has pride of place on my mantelpiece."

Applicants must be nominated by their em-ployer or a colleague and must have been in employment with the company for 12 months or more. To make a nomination, fill out the entry form on www.hw chamberawards.com. Completed entry forms must be received by Friday, May 18.

Shortlisted nominations from Herefordshire will appear in our sister paper, the Hereford Times.

A shortlist of two entrants will have their photos and a summary of their entry printed in the Worcester News. Readers can then vote for their favourite.

The winner will be announced at the a gala awards dinner on Thursday, June 21, at Worcester Rugby Club.