Thank Your Cleaner Day: Meet the people behind the clean

Jackson has only been with us for six months, but he's been all in from day one. "I'm always happy to take on any task allocated to me and contribute wherever I can," he says. 

What's made it feel like the right place? The people. "My colleagues are friendly and supportive. The workplace is safe, and I feel appreciated by both management and my supervisors." He takes real pride in leaving every area clean, organised and fully stocked – because, as he puts it, "it's rewarding to know that people can focus on their work without having to worry about the cleanliness and supplies around them." 

Away from work you'll find him on a football pitch. And here's his favourite surprise: "I used to dislike English at school, but now I live in Ireland and use English every day. Looking back, I never expected that!" Overcoming that fear is the thing he's proudest of. "Today I can communicate confidently in English. It's something I worked hard to achieve."

Maria is no stranger to hard work. Over the years she's been a kitchen porter, a childminder, and a cleaner in schools, offices and apartments. When she found out she was pregnant, she stepped away from work to look after her daughter.

Twelve years later, she spotted that Sodexo was looking for cleaners, applied, interviewed – and five months on, she's happy and already growing in the role. What she loves most is simple: knowing she's done a good job, and seeing that people notice. Her approach to great service is just as simple – she cleans every space as if it were her own home.

Something her colleagues might not know? Maria is from Mauritius, which she'll happily tell you is a beautiful country. And her proudest achievement is her daughter.

Her message for everyone else is one we'll be thinking about for a while: cleaners are pivotal to every workplace. Without them, nothing runs smoothly.

Ask Loredana why she's stayed and she doesn't hesitate. "Working here, I feel that people matter. I like the way our supervisors treat us with kindness and understanding."

That support has helped her grow, too – she's built up new skills using electrical cleaning equipment. But the best part of the job? "The interaction with the team."

For Loredana, great service comes down to the basics done brilliantly: being punctual, following the rules, doing the job well and taking responsibility for what's expected. And she has a lovely way of describing what the role really means.

"To be honest, I didn't know much about Sodexo at first," Zuzanna admits. "But I saw an opportunity and decided to give it a try."

Seven years later, she's glad she did. "I learned along the way and gradually grew in my role. Over the years I've gained more experience, taken on new responsibilities and grown both personally and professionally. It's been a great journey so far." What's kept her here is exactly that: the chance to keep learning, and a supportive environment to do it in.

Here's something her colleagues might not guess: "I'm actually quite a shy person – but I really enjoy helping others and making sure everything is done to a high standard." Her proudest achievements? How far she's come in her career, and her sons. "Watching them grow and become good people."

Doreen started out in catering and, over 44 years, has done a bit of everything. She'll tell you plainly that work is work – but what makes it work is the team. If anyone needs a hand, they ask each other. 

The thank-you cards and the acknowledgement mean a lot to her, too. They make her feel part of something bigger. And for Doreen, great service is about two things: a clean space, and a real sense of pride in it.

At home there's a big family – mostly girls! – and the thing she'd most like to be known for is simple: being a good person, and always helping. Her message to the rest of us is a gentle nudge.

Cleaners still set goals every day, even when it can feel like a thankless task. Days like today are a chance to make sure it isn't.

Jackie first came to us because the job was closer to home and the hours suited her family. She spent 25 years in catering – and loved it, especially meeting all the new students. "I love learning," she says, "and I use it to help others."

Then she made what she calls her "best move" – over to "the best side… cleaning." She clearly made the right call: in her very first year, she won an award at the NI Cleaning Awards.

Why has she stayed so long? "It just works. I like Sodexo. I love my job." For Jackie, it's about the people and that sense of achievement – doing the job well, learning along the way and being part of the team. When she's off the clock, she's making jewellery, doing cross-stitch, or curled up with a good book.