Last Thursday was a day I won’t forget in a hurry.

I turned 43, which feels like both a blink and a lifetime depending on the hour… but what made it truly memorable was being named Company Leader of the Year 2025 at TheBusinessDesk.com North West Leadership Awards.

I wasn’t able to attend the event in person (not great with that kind of spotlight anyway), but Alan Brierley was there on my behalf and did a cracking job collecting it. He probably enjoyed the night more than I would’ve too – and, knowing Alan, he probably worked the room while he was at it.

That award would’ve been more than enough to make the day special, but it didn’t stop there. During a debate on fair employment, Baroness Whitchurch quoted me in the House of Lords, using a line I’d shared about what good work really means:

“Fair treatment and job security aren’t luxuries. They’re the foundation of a high-performing workforce.”

I’ve had worse birthdays.

It’s hard to put into words how surreal that all felt – but more than anything, it made me reflect. Recognition like this doesn’t really belong to one person. This is about the work Adept has been quietly (and sometimes not so quietly!) doing for years.

What made the Leadership Award extra meaningful was how it ties into everything our team has built together. Just last year, Adept was named Employer of the Year and won the Best for Engagement award by the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. We also became a Pacesetter with the SIA following our best-ever ACS audit, landing us in the top 1% of security companies in the country.

These things don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of a team that actually cares – about people, about doing the right thing, and about building something better. My job, more often than not, is to make sure I don’t get in the way of that.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day (and we’ve got no shortage of that). But moments like this force you to stop and take it in, even if just for a minute.

So, while this week’s blog might not be packed with mobilisation updates, contract wins or policy tweaks, it’s a little pause for appreciation – and maybe a quiet celebration of what happens when you stay consistent, stay grounded, and trust the people around you.

Back to business next week. But for now, thank you – for the messages, for the support, and most of all, to the people I get to work with every day.