TWELVE finalists have been short- listed for this year's Trowbridge Employee of the Year contest and one of them will walk away with the first prize of a free trip to New York.

They were chosen from around 40 people nominated by friends and work colleagues for their commitment to their job.

Organised by Trowbridge and District Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Travail Employment, the competition is designed to find the employee who has done most to uphold the Chamber's Customer Service Charter.

Wiltshire Times editor Toby Granville is on the panel of judges and as part of the prize the winner earns their company £500 of free advertising in the newspaper.

The Wiltshire Times met three of the 12 finalists this week.

Hilary Cadwgan, 53, an occupational therapist with West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, based at Trowbridge hospital, said she has always been committed to her work since she joined the team in 1991.

Mrs Cadwgan said: "It is satisfying work and a great privilege when you can make a difference. It is not always easy to solve patients' problems but you get to meet some amazing people."

Helen Carter, 51, Homeward team leader at Nutricia on the White Horse Business Park has also made it to the final 12. She said: "I work for the clinical side of Nutricia and we organise food for clients who need to have special liquid food. Through our work it means they can go home from hospital and lead more normal lives and it is fascinating work."

This is the second time Mrs Carter has been nominated for Employee of the Year and was runner up when she was a secretary with Ushers brewery.

Before the final at the Civic Hall, Trowbridge, on March 10, the 12 will be whittled down to six after a round of interviews by competition judges.

On final night they will be interviewed on stage by BBC Radio Wiltshire reporter Heather Skull.

Administrator for Steps to Learning Liz Clarkson, 39, was stunned to find her name on the list of finalists.

She said: "I enjoy my job but I am quite a shy and retiring person so this will be a big challenge for me."

The other nine finalists are Hilary Henley, shop assistant at HB Pitt Ltd; Carlene James, sales assistant at Boots the Chemist; Elleen Mercer, customer services officer with Lloyds TSB bank; Emer Worth, officer manager at Alzheimer's Support in Bridge House; Ben Austin, salesman at Vauxhall Platinum; Suzanne Demski, sales assistant at HB Pitt Ltd; Mark Ledbury, manager at Davies and Davies estate agents; Louisa Kelsey, counter teller at Nationwide Building Society; and Pauline Switzer, customer services representative at HSBC bank.