Doreen Williams has won £100 for Going the Extra Mile

Care worker Doreen Williams has won £100 for being the region’s top employee last month.

She braved a snowstorm to ensure the needs of one of her clients were met.

The Northern Echo and the North East Chamber of Commerce are running the competition to find the region’s employee of the year.

Each monthly winner gets £100 and the best of the 12 will receive an extra £300.

Ms Williams, 44, walked an eight-mile round trip from Horden to visit Mary Rochester, in Blackhall Rocks, east Durham.

In her nomination letter, Mrs Rochester, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, said she didn’t think Ms Williams would make the journey, but she dutifully arrived looking “like a snowman”.

“It was beyond the call of duty – I thought she was marvellous,” she wrote.

Ms Williams who works for Carewatch, in Sacriston, said she was delighted to have won last month’s award.

“I was just doing my job,”

she said. “I knew I had to get there, whatever the weather.

Mary is very happy that I won.”

James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Going the Extra Mile campaign recognises employees who react with positivity and selflessness to help others they work with or the companies they work for.

“I would urge everyone who knows an unsung hero in the workplace to nominate them for this accolade.”

Entries should be sent to Nigel Burton, Assistant Editor, The Northern Echo, PO Box 14, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF or email nigel.

burton@nne.co.uk.

They should include the person’s name, place of work, contact number and up to 50 words about why they should win.