MANY staff who are viable for this award go under the radar.

They do the jobs that don’t usually grab the headlines but are as an important as anyone else in the school.

The winner, however, has had to jump front of the queue in this past year though.

The medical aspect of education has been depended on more than ever due to the pandemic.

Therefore, Jackie Drew truly deserves this accolade for her incredible hard work over these last 12 months.

Beckfoot Bingley has been the place of work for Jackie for eight years now.

Testing was never part of her role for seven of those years, but it is all the range now and how she has adapted!

She said: “Initially we had just the key workers students in which was lovely, but it was very quiet and strange.

“When we were just testing the staff there was myself and two other colleagues, and we just made it fun. I got to see a lot of the staff I didn’t normally see because they were coming to us three times a week for their testing.

“My job did get turned on its head, but it is lovely now to be back in the school and have that buzz back being with the students and keeping them safe

“I am apprehensive as well as excited for us to get to that other side.

“It will be lovely when we can have some normality in the school and stop worrying about who belongs to what bubble.

So, how does she feel to be crowned Supporting Staff Member of the Year?

“Amazing! I never expected it at all, it is lovely to feel so valued by my members of staff.

“I do work very hard and this extra pressure from the testing has added to that, but we are all learning and pulling together, that is the main thing.”

Clerk Nageena Khan and Linda Marshall of St Columba’s were the other ones up for this particular award.