Highways celebrated some of the best and brightest in the sector at the inaugural Highways Champions Awards, honouring more than 100 medallists, three award winners and four new fellows of the industry.

Throughout the day, the crowd of around 400 guests heard moving personal stories about those being recognised.

Host of the afternoon, Vernon Kay, spotlighted individuals such as Margaret Lonergan (London Borough of Islington), one of the recipients of a Long Service medal after working in public service for seventy-six years.

He said: ‘Twenty-five in the police. Fifty-one, and counting, on the crossing outside a school in Islington. Generations of children have crossed Liverpool Road safely because of Margaret – and many have grown up and come back as adults, still recognising the woman who saw them across. She has stood in every weather Islington has thrown at her for over five decades. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together and welcome Margaret to the stage.'

Another of the champions celebrated on the night was Sarah Gayton, who was nominated by the immediate past president of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK. She was recognised for her efforts campaigning for blind and visually impaired people to be able to use our streets safely, with a particular focus on her efforts surrounding Transport for London's (TfL) use of floating bus stops.

When TfL published a safety review of floating bus stops, she didn't take it on trust. She worked through the data behind it – a long, painstaking job – and found serious inconsistencies. She took her findings to the British Standards Institute BSI-KSA, the UK National Audit Office, MPs and the press. TfL then withdrew the report and committed to re-analysing its figures. One person who checked the data and refused to give up.

It wasn't just individuals who were recognised throughout the afternoon, though. One ‘dynamic duo' winning recognition were Kate Sillcock and Keith Hughes from Connect Plus Services, who's efforts saved a life. While on patrol, they saw a lone member of the public on the steps of a bridge with no vehicle nearby and knew what they were looking at.

The pair immediately arranged a rolling roadblock through the National Traffic Operations Centre, but when they returned to the scene, the gentleman had moved dangerously close to the live carriageway and was clearly in crisis.

One of our Highways Champions led the engagement, calmly and steadily reassuring the individual, while the other offered back-up. Between them, they gave him water and warm clothing, stayed with him, and even tracked down his family while waiting for the police to arrive. When police arrived, he was taken to a place of safety, where he was able to receive the support he needed.

Another pair of Champions recognised were Paul Hancock and Gary Armstrong at WJ Group.

When one of their colleagues had a stroke alone in a Tesco car park, a member of the public spotted the WJ logo on his shirt and rang the office. Paul and Gary went straight there and, realising how serious it was, called emergency services. When the ambulance service told them there'd be a long wait, they refused to accept it and made it clear this was a critical emergency, helping to ensure that the ambulance arrived in minutes. Within an hour of his stroke, their colleague had been scanned and was receiving treatment, with the doctors later noting that speed made all the difference.

These stories are all amazing. But they are, of course, only a small percentage of the winners from the night. Be sure to check out the full Roll of Honour and let us not forget to celebrate every one of the 110 Champions recognised at the Highways Champions Awards.