A PRESTIGIOUS awards ceremony was held to celebrate the achievements of adults with learning disabilities.

Essex Cares Ltd (ECL) hosted the event for adults who attend the Colchester, Clacton and Harwich hubs.

Colchester’s Stevi Ritchie - singer and television star known for his appearances on The X Factor and Celebrity Big Brother - made a guest appearance. He took time to sign autographs and pose for photos.

Peter Hockley, who works at ECL’s Oakwood Packaging in Little Clacton, won the Best Smile award for always being happy at work.

Brian Scott, who volunteers at the Plough hub in Little Clacton, won the Most Helpful award. He is always the first person to volunteer if the library is short of customers.

The Life Skill Achievement award went to Angela Danvers who attends the Plough hub in Little Clacton. She has lost more than four stones with Slimming World.

Staff were also praised for their hard work and dedication.

The Most Positive award went to Ben Smith at the ECL Harwich hub. He has a great can-do attitude and nothing is too much trouble.

The award for the funniest member of staff went to Javiera Romero-Munoz from Redlands Cafe in Colchester. She welcomes everybody with a smile.

The Most Supportive award went to Katy Gooding at Oakwood Packaging in Little Clacton. She was praised for her calm nature.

From choosing the theme and nominating the winners to compiling the DJ’s playlist, the adults with learning disabilities were involved at every stage.