Connie Coles

Operation Christmas Child is the largest children's Christmas project in the world, run by the charity Samaritan's Purse. In its simplest form, it is all about a gift box, full of gifts and goodies sent to a child in need. Each box is wrapped and packed and sent overseas to orphans and vulnerable children living in often difficult circumstances overseas.

For seven years now Connie has single handed been advertising, organising and collecting these boxes from colleagues across a number of Lloyds Banking Group head office sites and some branches too. More details about the charity can be found at http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/ which includes a short video on one of the children, Sasha from Belarus, who has benefitted from a Christmas box.

Operation Christmas Child is just one of Connie's numerous charitable endeavours both at work and in her home life. Despite a chronic condition she suffered in a car crash some years ago, the energy she finds to think of others first, and her underlying humanity are an example to us all. She exhibits group values in her commitment to supporting her colleagues in their jobs, always finding the time to ensure a busy team has a social side to it.