A BROMSGROVE staff member has been recognised with an award for helping start-up firms for more than two decades.

Dr Chris Newis, who lives in Oldswinford, has received a special certificate from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) recognising both his length of membership as well as his service to Human Resources and Learning and Development.

Chris – who has been a CIPD member for more than 20 years – first joined the organisation in 1994 when he was working as a business advisor with the Black Country Co-operative Development Agency.

Over 27 years with the organisation, he helped coach and mentor people who were looking to start up businesses from scratch.

Chris, who manages Insight and Strategy at Bromsgrove-based Lime Marketing, said the letter and certificate from the CIPD came as a “complete surprise.”

He said: “I have remained a member of the CIPD because it’s a place where I can go for support, learning and development for myself and keeps me up to date with the sorts of issues I need to be up to speed on across a broad range of sectors.

“At Lime Marketing I need to constantly keep myself updated on facts, data and analysis that helps both our clients and us as one of the region’s leading full service communications and marketing consultancies.

“I was impressed and surprised to hear from the CIPD as I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s equally really good to receive such recognition.”

The letter from the CIPD said Chris’s membership was “an incredible achievement”, and “we look forward to working with you to champion better work and working lives.”