A WOMAN has been celebrated right across St Helens after winning a BBC Award last month.
At BBC Merseyside's 'Make A Difference Awards' on Friday, September 30, Karen Hall was recognised for almost two decades of hard work as a cleaner at the Hardshaw Centre in St Helens.
Nominated by her husband Ian, Karen took home the Key Worker Award for her persistent hard work throughout the decades and her diligent shifts during the pandemic, where she often worked single-handedly to keep the Hardshaw Centre clean and safe from coronavirus.
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It was also noted how Karen is known to help out any customer or shop assistant with anything they need; from general assistance inside the shopping centre to giving away spare change for a taxi, or offering support and a five-minute chat to lonely people.
Following Karen's "shock" at her award win, she has been inundated with messages of support and congratulations from people right across the community.
A Star post about the award received hundreds of likes and comments, while the mum-of-two has been handed cards and presents to celebrate her achievement and show their gratitude.
She has also been recognised in the street for her achievement, and cleaners from the Hardshaw Centre and afar have been in contact to share their delight that cleaners have been acknowledged for their hard work.
Karen, 60, said: "It has been overwhelming to see the amount of messages of support I have received, and all the lovely cards and presents I have been given.
"It's not easy being a cleaner, working day-in day-out to make sure everything is spotless, but we work as a team and nothing would get done if we didn't do our job at the bottom.
"But it's really nice to be recognised, and other cleaners have been in touch to say that my award really gave them a boost because they have seen people thanking cleaners and appreciating what we do."
After nominating his wife for the BBC award, Karen's husband Ian said he was "thrilled" that she was recognised.
He emphasised that cleaners everywhere deserve respect and appreciation for their hard work, as they often work through times of adversity, verbal abuse and job insecurity.
Moving forward, Karen said she will continue putting her "heart and soul" into her job, while not forgetting that a smile and a chat can go a long way.
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