Road winners, a single driver with almost three quarter of a million deliveries for DPD, a Hermes driver delivering baby at the door set a tone of final mile excellence from cargo cycle courier to van driver.
All fifteen of the office short-listers, winner or not all were nominated for fellowship by awards panel of judges.
Office highlights included 1800 lockers, 3 ½ million for regional, a million a month on tests and a family welcoming back one of their own from Covid.
COVID road safety & well-being recognition double win O’Donovan & Bunting, Smiths News. Inspiration award for Ocado fire recovery team.
Military Logistics double win for Major Donna Smitt & Private Lee Moulton who saved life at RTA.
Tim Seagers wins former military - submarine past to boss of Crown.
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, Princess Anne meets Services to Industry Fellows - Jeffrey Ritterband pictured
DEFRA minister Jo Churchill MP addresses the National Courier Awards 2021
Yodel take the Step Change corporate award - pictured with Services to Industry fellows - Alistair Cochrane, Michael Holt, Justin Moore, Jeffrey Ritterband - with TfL commissioner Andy Byford
Tim Seagers - founder of Crown SDS Couriers is presented with his Military to Civilian award by Lt. Col. Andy Gifford CO 158 Regt. RLC
HRH The Princess Royal welcomed winners to the quarter-century, 25th National Courier Awards
Click here to see the gallery of Winners and Fellows meeting HRH The Princess Royal
IOC Chairman Carl Lomas delivered the opening keynote to a year of exploding express courier numbers in a sector of family recognised as key worker, critical infrastructure. Univ West London Vice Chancellor Peter John CBE launched degree apprenticeship for Express manager to start in May 2022. TfL commissioner Andy Byford presented awards to individuals.
Traffic Commissioner Sarah Bell welcomed the newly-gowned honorary fellows of 2020 lockdown, TfL commissioner Andy Byford and DVSA boss Loveday Ryder.
Winners of the independent, unsponsored awards of the Institute of Couriers are the best-kept secret in our sector, only finding out as they are called to the stage and colleagues rattle the courier clapper to celebrate.
The gala evening seated at postcode-marked tables, dished up Beef Wellington before a light dance show to put individual winners, from road to office, centre stage, recognising best-of-the-best in express, courier, last mile, final mile.
Record number of nominations created an exceptional shortlist for the panel of judges to choose from. The awards, traditionally opening with the corporate categories, moves onto individual awards when guests ‘rattle those clappers’. The awards come to a crescendo finish with military honours. For 2021, IOC President Viscount Lord Falkland announced the guest of honour to be HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne.
Corporate inspiration awards are rich on lockdown delivery, clean air is strong, and Step Change has two exceptional shortlistings.
Corporate inspiration nominations from DPD ASOS ‘re-Love’ campaign and Ocado Erith saving the depot fire.
Road Safety, the David Jamieson award - Jacqui O’Donovan with COVID Wellbeing, Jon Bunting Smiths News celebrated double wins.
For 2021 the team category features nominations from City Couriers Direct, FedEx and Whistl.
The coveted Step Change award has been taken by Hermes twice; for Sunday delivery and for order by midnight. Trying for three, Hermes returned for 2021 with ‘Stay Fresh 2-hour food window’ but were pipped to the post by Yodel for ‘Store to door’.
DEFRA Minister Jo Churchill was on stage to award Clean Air in Express, Absolutely London for their ‘Eco hub’ cargo cycles, Hermes doubling their gas truck fleet, Tuffnells with new urban aero-wedge mini trailer.
It’s all about individuals:-
The National Courier Awards splits between road, office and contract. Record entries bring 16 short listers for road, 4 for contract and 17 for office. A total of 37 shortlisters went before the judging panel. Every member of the office category was honoured with the offer of fast track application to Institute of Couriers fellowship.
