Teams honoured with national awards

Colleagues at Lincolnshire Co-op are celebrating a successful night after winning in two categories at the prestigious People in Retail Awards.

The People in Retail Awards, presented at the London Marriott Hotel, celebrate individuals making a significant impact in retail operations from national and international organisations like Adidas, Waitrose and American Golf.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Chief Transformation Officer, Andy Warman, was awarded Executive Leader of the Year after being recognised for how he’s supported the society’s key strategic projects.

Andy joined the co-operative in 2023 as Head of Strategy and Transformation. Since then, he’s co-created the society’s Purpose Beyond Profit 2030 strategy, developed a programme plan to support 30 projects and introduced a Project Management Office.

Colleagues describe Andy as an ‘inspirational leader who is generous with his time when sharing his knowledge and expertise’ and is ‘a champion for Lincolnshire Co-op’s purpose and strategy’.

In recognition of his significant contributions in supporting the society’s transformational journey, he was promoted to Chief Transformation Officer during June 2025.

Andy said: “It’s a privilege to be recognised in a category amongst so many talented executives who are making a difference. “Seeing nominations from Lincolnshire Co-op highlights the extraordinary dedication within our society and it’s a testament to the incredible people I have the honour of working with every day.”

Erika Stainton, Lincolnshire Co-op’s Careers Development Lead, was awarded Rising Spark for her active role in transforming apprenticeships across the business.

Apprenticeships have significantly evolved since Erika’s enrolment, with uptake increasing by 20%. She’s strengthened line manager confidence, directly worked with apprentices between onboarding to completion and built relationships with training providers.

Erika said: “I joined the business in November 2024, so to not only be nominated but to have won this award is a massive shock. “I’m extremely grateful for my wonderful colleagues who have supported me throughout my time at Lincolnshire Co-op so far; I love working with our apprentices and this recognition is hugely appreciated.”

Bob Blake, Funeral Operative from Lincolnshire Co-op’s Tritton Road Funeral Home in Lincoln, was highly commended in the Employee of the Year category.

During a funeral, Bob went above and beyond to support a bereaved family, enabling them all to mourn in a way that was meaningful to them.

Bob said: “To be highly commended in the Employee of the Year category is exceptional to say the least, and I couldn’t be prouder of myself. “This was a fantastic night with a great group of colleagues, and it was incredible to share a room with such inspiring people.”

Karen Bennett, Lincolnshire Co-op Chief People Officer said: “We’ve had a fantastic evening celebrating our amazing award winners and brilliant nominees who all go above and beyond to deliver our purpose.

“Andy is an exceptional leader, Erika truly is a shining star, and we’re so proud of Bob for his commendation. Their recognition couldn’t be more deserved.”