SPAA's new president on empowerment and fundraising

Meet Joanne Dooey; she’s the first Scottish woman to take up the 98-year-old organisation’s top role after two years as vice-president, but her association with the SPAA goes back more than 15 years.

Despite only having assumed the position in December last year, Dooey has already launched the SPAA’s Sparkle Awards to reward front-line agents across 10 categories.

“It’s something I wanted to do because I know what it’s like,” said Dooey. “You sell holidays and work hard, and your company might get an award, but you – as an individual – don’t.”

Line managers can nominate their staff for Sparkle Awards, with the winners decided by a vote of the SPAA’s associate members. An awards ceremony will take place in September in Edinburgh.