Schaeffler's Derrick Lewis receives Community Champion Award

Celebrating the very best of British manufacturers, the Manufacturing Champions Awards reward the exciting and dynamic achievements of the UK's manufacturing employees, highlighting the many and varied opportunities available within all sectors of manufacturing and engineering. The winners of the Manufacturing Champions Awards 2015 were revealed at a gala lunch at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on 3rd December 2015, where nearly 300 manufacturing leaders gathered.

The Community Champion is awarded to an individual who proactively promotes manufacturing in schools, colleges or universities. Qualifying entries were assessed by an expert judging panel comprising senior site managers. The panel this year included site leaders from companies in the food and drink, chemicals, electronics, defence and heavy engineering sectors.

According to the judges, Derrick Lewis received the Community Champion award "through his tireless drive to promote engineering and manufacturing in the schools around South Wales where the Schaeffler plant is based".

The judges added that: "Derrick lives and breathes engineering and manufacturing, and he's going above and beyond to champion careers in the sector with local schools. Crucially, Derrick is supplementing this work with teenagers by working with younger children at primary schools. A lot of people talk about doing that, but very few actually do."

Dr Dave Bate, Plant Manager at Schaeffler UK comments: "We are absolutely delighted for Derrick to have received the Community Champion award. It's thoroughly deserved and a fitting reward for all the hard work and time that Derrick has spent over the years supporting and encouraging young people in local schools, colleges and universities to consider a career in engineering or manufacturing."

Please visit www.schaeffler.co.uk for more information.