New Directions ‘Supplier of the Year’ for Second Year

A leading supply and training agency for the education sector has been named ‘Supplier of the Year’ for a second consecutive year at the Welsh National Procurement Awards’.

New Directions Education, the ‘managed service provider’ of staff to the education sector throughout Wales was announced as winner at a ceremony held at Bangor University on Friday evening.

The awards celebrate achievement in Wales in public procurement, public delivery and tendering. It is described by organisers as ‘an opportunity to for those who buy and supply in the Welsh public sector to celebrate best practice, and thank all those involved for their contribution’.

Organised by the Institute for Competition and Procurement Studies, part of Bangor Law School at Bangor University, the event celebrates 10 categories. New Directions was also shortlisted for the ‘Community Benefits’ award that celebrates those organisations that have a positive impact on their respective environments.

Speaking at the event, Rob Ratcliffe, Business Development Officer for the organisation and former Headteacher said of the award ‘It is a privilege to accept this award on behalf of everyone who works so hard to make New Directions such a good supply agency choice. Working at the heart of the public sector to understand often complex situations takes a certain amount of dedication. We have the right teams throughout Wales to make this happen’.

The organisation has offices across Wales including Aberystwyth, Brynmawr, Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham and was initially set up in 1999 to provide supply cover options to schools throughout the country.

Gary Williams, founding member and Group Director of Business Development said of the accolade ‘This year is turning in to quite the success for New Directions. We were named ‘Compliance Team of the Year’ at an international ceremony in London earlier this year – joining previous winners such as Google and Orange and in May we were announced as ‘Recruitment Agency of the Year’ at the Regional Awards.

To win ‘Supplier of the Year’ for a second successive term is such an honour, and I keep saying it – but it tells us we are doing it right, with respect and integrity’.

The award is the sixth accolade for the business in 2016.