The person who has led Bury Council’s response to the coronavirus crisis has won a special award from the Mayor of Bury.

Lesley Jones received the accolade for her ‘Outstanding Contribution to the people of Bury’ at the annual staff awards for council and Bury NHS CCG staff.

Councillor Tim Pickstone, the Mayor of Bury, said: “Since the pandemic began, the response of colleagues across the council and CCG, and with wider partners, has been incredible. So many staff have done so much to maintain services, respond to demand, work differently, and support residents, communities, and businesses. It has been nothing short of remarkable.

“At the heart of this, providing expert professional leadership and guidance, has been our director of public health Lesley Jones. 

“She has provided calm authority, clear advice and leadership during the greatest public health crisis of our generation. She has ensured national, regional and GM-wide public health leadership is translated into practice on the ground in Bury, consistently demonstrated exceptional professional public health expertise, and galvanised the whole system to play its full part. 

“She has led the brilliant public health team excellently. She has shown courage, determination and resilience under the most challenging of circumstances, and has secured the confidence of all partners in the borough.

“The residents of Bury have every good reason to be profoundly grateful for the excellence of the leadership shown by Lesley throughout this crisis, and it is with great pleasure that I give her this special mayoral award.”

Lesley joined Bury in 2013 and, in normal times, plays a key role in a range of health issues and campaigns such as smoking cessation, alcohol use and obesity – until Covid came along!

She said: “I really am overwhelmed to receive the special mayoral award and all the messages of congratulations I have received since. I really want to share the award with the very many people who have worked with and supported me throughout – it has been a true team effort.

“And could I remind everyone to get their Covid booster jabs and keep themselves and their loved ones protected against this serious illness.”

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