Celebrating Excellence in 2024

The Potters Resorts Annual Team Awards are more than just a celebration. They’re a chance to recognise the collective effort that goes into making Potters a leading name in UK staycations.

From front-line roles to behind-the-scenes heroes, every individual plays a crucial part in creating the unique atmosphere that keeps guests returning year after year.

And both the Five Lakes and Hopton-on-Sea teams recently came together to recognise the outstanding contributions of team members who have gone above and beyond over the last 12 months. Hosted by Group Operations Director Kirstie Hood, awards were presented by John Potter and the Resorts’ respective managers, Oli Smith at Five Lakes and Shaun Smith at Hopton-on-Sea.

Before the awards, John Potter shared his thoughts and appreciation with the team

Categories

The awards recognise excellence across several key categories, celebrating those who embody the values and mission of Potters.

The Best Newcomer Award highlights new talent who have integrated themselves into their teams quickly and made an instant impact. While this award recognises those in roles across the business, the Unsung Hero Award is dedicated to team members who work tirelessly behind the scenes and play an active role in the break experience we deliver.

The Team Awards at Five Lakes were hosted in December 2024

If there’s a category that epitomises what Potters is all about, the Happiness Award recognises those who truly stand out to everyone across the Resort. Whatever their department, their smile, positivity, happy nature and disposition lift the spirits of everyone around them.

Potters is frequently recognised for customer excellence, so this annual event wouldn’t be complete without the Customer Service Award category. Team members winning this accolade consistently demonstrate excellence in their roles and, ultimately, our guests’ fully inclusive experience. At the same time, they inspire their colleagues to do the same.

The Special Recognition Award is then a chance to give thanks and appreciation to members of the management team.

The awards at Hopton-on-Sea were hosted in the new year

The Brian Potter MBE Customer Care Award

The crowning moment of each awards night is the presentation of the Brian Potter MBE Customer Care Award. This prestigious accolade symbolises the highest level of dedication to customer care, and is named in honour of Brian Potter MBE, who passed away in 2014.

Brian Potter received an MBE in February 2013 for his services to the tourism industry.

This year, the award at Five Lakes was proudly presented to Collette Sherwood from the Public Areas Team. Collette’s unwavering commitment to maintaining exceptional standards and creating memorable experiences for guests has left an indelible mark on both the team and visitors to the resort.

Having joined the team in early 2022, she received a huge number of nominations from her colleagues across not just her department, but the whole Resort.

From left to right: Group Operations Director Kirstie Hood, Five Lakes Resort Manager Oli Smith, Collette Sherwood and John Potter

Kirstie said: “That in itself shows the great admiration and respect that so many of the team from across the Resort and all departments have for this individual. Her role is physically demanding and she performs it with such positivity, a superb can-do attitude, and to the highest of standards. Collette is an inspiration to others in demonstrating what a strong work ethic looks like, taking everything in her stride and being a rock within her department. Add to all that her super sense of humour, chirpy greetings and making time for every guest that she passes by, she is such a worthy recipient for this award.”

From left to right: Hopton-on-Sea Resort Manager Shaun Smith, Group Operations Director Kirstie Hood, Steve Loxston and John Potter

Meanwhile, at Hopton-on-Sea, the long-serving Steve Loxston received the accolade. While he excels more behind the scenes in his purchasing and stores role, he has been key in supporting the overall success of the Resort for over 18 years. He plays a significant role in ensuring our guests enjoy delicious meals not once, not twice, not even thrice, but four times a day, 365 days of the year.

Kirstie said of Steve: “He is dependable, he is loyal, he is assertive, he is meticulous, he is dedicated, he is totally standards and guest focused, he is well liked by everyone and he would be because he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is well respected by everyone, and he would be, because he’s damn good at what he does and how he does it. He is the embodiment in every single aspect of a superb Potters Ambassador.”

Group Operations Director Kirstie Hood hosted both nights, at Five Lakes and Hopton-on-Sea

Two amazing nights, one amazing team

With the presentations done and dusted, it was great to see our award winners let their hair down, laugh and joke with each other, as teams from across the business enjoyed that rare opportunity to come together in celebration.

The Potters Resorts Team Awards are a reminder that success isn’t just about awards—it’s about the people who make every guest’s experience truly unforgettable. With a shared commitment to excellence, Potters Resorts heads into 2025 ready to continue delivering five-star holidays filled with happiness and care.

Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s awards! Here’s to another year of making memories together.

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2024 Roll of honour

Best Newcomer (Five Lakes)

Harriet Gibson & Jessie Smith (Bars), Chloe Taplin (Entertainment), Ashley Pygott (Greens), Julia Goodson & Paige Quinton (Housekeeping), Allana Cameron & Perry Taylor (Kitchen), Luke Ridsdill-Smith (Maintenance), Cerys Jacobs (Reception), Aggi Nadskakulska, Elle Robertson, Ethan Hobden & Lewis Smith (Restaurant), Sophie Westover (Tech Crew)

Best Newcomer (Hopton-on-Sea)

Sam Waters (Activities), Anya Macfarlane & Georgie Bull (Aphrodite), Jo Bolton (Bars), Kinza Burman & Charlotte Thompson (Bungalows), Joanne Gibbs (Commercial), Emily Takman (Entertainment), Jaydn Johnson (Design), Briony Sandwell, Bethany Scott & Troy Thompson (Direct Sales), Kim Ballard & Mandy Hayden (Hotel), Chloe Haworth & Oscar Rose (Palms), Millie Turner (Potters Theatre Company), Derrick Mansi (Reception), Callum Carr, Carol-Ann Oakes, Corey Cutts & Macey Syder (Restaurant), Andy Mansi (Site Services)

Unsung Hero (Five Lakes)

Jamie Barry (Bars), Luis Flores (Housekeeping), Jacky Harte (HR), Eli Payne & Gemma Catlin (Kitchen), Lianne Wroe & Steph Green (Reception), Gavin Baxter, Natasha Webb-Saveall, Nicola Sleet, Tilley Eve & Vikki Wilkinson (Reservations), Adarsh Kurian & Matthew Greed (Tech Crew)

Unsung Hero (Hopton-on-Sea)

Jake Etherington & Thomas Hall (Bars), Bronwen Owen & Madi Beare (Bungalows), Carlie Spillings (Commercial), Becky Teasdel, Dave Giles, Emily Bardwell & Gemma Gray (Direct Sales), Katie Green (Entertainment), Billy Marjoram, Bob Dumbrill, Dave Colley, Marc Cleveland, Matthew Winney & Steve Loxston (Kitchen), Martine King (Main Buildings), Jack Rogers (Marketing), Jason McWhinney (Security), Tasha Batterbee & Neville Pearsons (Site Services), Martyn Read (Tech Crew)

Happiness (Five Lakes)

Lucie Jancarova (Activities), Beth Allen-Brodie, Harriet Gibson, Dan Jordan, Molly Coates, Nathaniel Cox & Jessie Smith (Bars), Emily Kenneally, Shaun Lee & Chloe Taplin (Entertainment), David Rose & Measie Sarinee (Golf), Callum Jones, Ethan Smith & Joe Ramsey (Greens), Andrea Dafter, Andreea Buraga, Cristina Radoi & Kelly Luxford (Housekeeping), Collette Sherwood (Public Areas), Sarah Larter (HR), Atul Singh, Shane Walters & Perry Taylor (Kitchen), Alex Ivanescu (Maintenance), Bethany Bartholomeusz, Megan Walden, Shane Rice & Toni Doyle (Potters Theatre Company), Emily Camp, Mollie Fox & Cerys Jacobs (Reception), Beth Lewis-Hill, Izzy Emmett, Mali Parker-McEwan, Amy Johnson, Casey O’Leary, Carole Tilbrook & Liz Attwood (Restaurant), Janice Meier (Pop-in-Shop), Caitlin Lowe & Jasmine Young (Spa), Harley Roebuck (Tech Crew)

Happiness (Hopton-on-Sea)

Carrie Roper & Glenys Barber (Activities), Chelsie Warner (Aphrodite), Ellie Shuttleworth, Lewis Miller, Paul Hendy-Gardner, Sasha Mansi & Sue Morley (Bars), Amanda Skippen, Angela Rose, Bridie Holland, Corrina McGeachy, Debra Hewett, Nicky Littlewood, Sarah Griffiths & Sharon Bullent (Bungalows), Joanne Gibbs, Chantelle Buckenham & Neo Mogorosi (Commercial), Emily Takman & Jo Benquesus (Entertainment), Bethany Scott & Molly Mae Baldwin (Direct Sales), Helen Bishop (Finance), Charles Bradley (Grounds), Amanda Stowell & Imogen Jonas (Group Sales), Lisa Thornton, Kim Ballard, Lisa Lack, Cheryl Everett, Emma Cone, Hannah Long, Jackie Gregg, Laura Oliver, Michelle Aldred, Paula Stone & Sue Dumbrill (Hotel), Amanda Phelps (HR), Ella Guo, Emma Stone & Rob Hurren (Kitchen), Mark Rutter, Faye Dennington & Martine King (Main Buildings), Shirzad Rahimi (Palms), Gemma Stanton, James Hearn & Steph McMillin (Potters Theatre Company), Faye Jackson (Reception), Kitty Whitlam, Wilma Wu, Carol-Ann Oakes & Corey Cutts (Restaurant), Dawn Wright, Tamzin Holland & Julia Harris (Pop-in-Shop), Jan Schenk (Site Services), Lois Bent (Tech Crew)

Customer Service (Five Lakes)

Daisy Englebright (Bars), Measie Sarinee (Golf), Sarah Baker (Housekeeping), Collette Sherwood (Public Areas), Lewis Tulloch (Potters Theatre Company), Nicole Tomlin (Reception), Rachel Showell (Reception), Carole Tilbrook, Clare Peake, Jade Burrows, Liz Attwood & Nathaniel Marsh (Restaurant)

Customer Service (Hopton-on-Sea)

Will Henrickson (Kitchen), Angie Utting, Crystal Ramos & Dawn Coggins (Restaurant), Stephen Carlisle (Security)

Special Recognition (Five Lakes)

Sammie Bartram & Oli Arnold (Restaurant), Chris Smith (Security), Gary Mackay (Bowls)

Special Recognition (Hopton-on-Sea)

Chantelle Buckenham (Commercial), Katrina Skeet (Direct Sales), Sallyanne Gooch (Sales), Amanda Stowell (Group Sales), Gary Bartley (Marketing), Angela Bennett (Operations), Roxy Yarnold & Shane Balls (Entertainment), Leah Holland (Systems)

Brian Potter MBE Customer Care

Collette Sherwood (Five Lakes) & Steve Loxston (Hopton-on-Sea)