Ramsgate Asda worker Bob scoops award for his many acts of kindness

Big-hearted Ramsgate Asda's Bob Ellender

Popular Asda Ramsgate deputy manager Bob Ellender has scooped the supermarket giant’s  Colleagues’ Colleague of the Year title.

The Proud To Be Asda Award.celebrate the fantastic work all Asda colleagues have put in throughout the pandemic.

Bob was voted for by Asda colleagues from a shortlist of 10 which had been whittled down from thousands of nominations.

Bob was nominated for the way he always puts others first, whether it’s customers at the store or his support for the Ramsgate food bank and families who are struggling financially due to the pandemic.

His many acts of kindness include buying much-needed food supplies for the Salvation Army in the town, providing Christmas dinner for two families and paying for plant seeds for an elderly lady who was shielding and could not get to the store.

As well as being named Colleagues’ Colleague of the Year, dad-of-two Bob was  named Supermarket Colleague Hero of the Year in the category rounds. He also recently received a British Citizen’s Award Medal for his work in the community.

Bob, 48, was at Asda Ramsgate store when it opened in 2012 before moving to other branches and returning five years ago. He has worked for Asda for 14 years.

He said: “The last year has been horrible for everybody. My wife Kati and myself are both lucky. We are both working, but many other people are not that lucky.

“With many people out there who are worse off than me I wanted to do something to help. I know the Mayor of Ramsgate, Raushan Ara, and I said to her I’d like to do something – so I bought food for the local food bank.

“At Christmas I wanted to do something for local families so again I got in touch with the mayor who put me in touch with two families. For one I got a whole Christmas dinner and the other lady a dinner and toys for her six-month-old baby.

“I haven’t done any of this for any awards, it’s just the way I am, my personality – I’ve always wanted to help others. When I was told I’d won the award it was like, ‘wow’. It’s been mind-blowing really. At the end of the day we have all been heroes.”

He added: “I’m truly humbled by the award and I will be donating £100 towards cats in crisis for food and also Ramsgate Salvation Army for the food bank.”

Asda Ramsgate Store manager  Kevin Martin, who nominated Bob for the award, said: “Bob really has a heart of gold. He’s such a warm-hearted person who is loved both by colleagues and customers here in Ramsgate.

“What he has done to help others is absolutely brilliant. He is from the town and so well known in the community. We are a very family-orientated store here and Bob is always there to offer advice to customers have any queries and concerns.

“If any of our colleagues here need to talk to someone, Bob is always willing to lend an ear too. He’s such a cracking guy.”

Roger Burnley, Asda CEO & President added “In a difficult year, Bob has reflected the spirit and dedication of the whole Asda team, who in the face of a global pandemic have gone above and beyond to look after customers, our communities and each other.”

9 Comments

  1. Bob is a true gentlemen. He’s an amazing guy and when I took my 2 children on full time Bob helped me out with a few bags of clothes for my children as this happened virtually over night and I was simply not prepared. I will never forget his act of kindness and the other staff who also helped. He truly deserves this. 100 percent.

  2. Its a pity both managers are still not heeding my advice made long ago, and in writing, that the shopping trolleys are NOT being disinfected AFTER every use! One third of people with Covid are carriers, and don’t know they have it, so if they use a trolley and even if they disinfect their hands, and five minutes later cough into their hand as most people do, or sneeze, or blow their nose, then replace their hands on the trolley handle, they have now successfully infected it ready for the next customer to use, and get Covid!

    I have been trying to get ASDA nationally, and other supermarkets, to understand this, but what has ASDA Ramsgate done, its placed a trolley cleaning kit inside the store, hidden by shopping baskets, so few if any people use it! Trolleys should be disinfected AFTER every use, what part of that don’t they understand! ASDA managers please place the trolley disinfectant next to the parked trolley’s, with a sign saying “DISINFECT TROLLEY HANDLE BEFORE ENTERING THE STORE” Simples!

    • I poppedito Asda Ramsgate last week and there was member of staff by the door cleansing the trolleys. I was very impressed as it is not something I have seen recently anywhere.

      • I go to ASDA every morning Jo, to buy a few things and get a Newspaper, and I have never seen anyone disinfecting the trolley handles! I have seen three members of staff standing around talking to each other, whilst the cash desks were unmanned though! This is a common occurrence, is it to try and force customers to use the self service machines to pay for their shopping? This will never work in my case, and many others, who prefer to speak to someone at a cash desk! The machines are there to cut staff as well, so I expect to see less staff soon!

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