ONE of the region’s leading hotels is celebrating after an apprentice overcame challenging personal circumstances to scoop a major national award.

Callum Gallagher, 22, from Durham won the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), National Apprentice of the Year Award following his success in Ramside Hall Hotel’s Learners Academy, in association with Charnwood Training Group. He received his award at Grosvenor House in London after seeing off competition from across the country.

As part of the Learner’s Academy, Callum was nominated for the award by his peers after signing up for a hotel management training programme. He also scooped Ramside’s Employee of the Year Award in 2013 and the Shooting Star Award at the North East Hotels’ Excellence Awards.

Callum said: “The past year has been tough at home as my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer but the training has given me something positive to focus on.

“I wasn’t sure about starting the course at the beginning but it has given me lots of confidence and made me determined to succeed and make something of my life.

“I’m proud to have won a national award, especially as the standards were so high. ”

Callum joined Ramside Hall Hotel as a Room Attendant and then progressed to a customer service role before being promoted to Trainee Manager last year, when he started studying towards his Level 2 Apprenticeship.

John Adamson, Managing director of Ramside Estates, said: “Callum won the award because he always gives 100 per cent and has a professional, can-do attitude that sees him consistently receive brilliant feedback from our customers. We’re proud to have him on the team and he’s now a mentor to 15 staff members who are going through the same apprenticeship programme.”