Unsung heroes employed at care homes run by the Caring Homes Group have been rewarded for going beyond the call of duty in their roles.
Care professionals from the group’s Southern Region received awards at a special ceremony, which took place in the grounds of Walstead Place residential home near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, on 13th July.
The event was the first Caring Homes Unsung Heroes Awards ceremony where 43 members of staff were given official recognition for outstanding dedication to their work.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Platinum Hero Award to Jackie Cullip, head of care at Firtrees Nursing Home, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Regional manager Sue Turner told how the sheer number of nominations for Jackie over the course of a year had ‘stunned’ the panel of judges. Sue said Jackie had been described by residents, relatives and staff alike as being a ‘brilliant and fair leader, a true friend, a good listener and a kind and compassionate person.’ Sue went on: “Nothing is too much trouble for Jackie whose heart and soul is with her residents, relatives and staff.”
Another key accolade went to Simon Wilson, a care assistant from Rectory House Nursing Home in Sompting, West Sussex, who was presented the award for ‘Best Idea for 2007’. His idea was to provide each resident with their own ‘special day’ dedicated to providing holistic activities of their choice.
Sue Turner told guests she had been overwhelmed by the number of residents, relatives and colleagues who had nominated their ‘heroes’ for awards. She added: “For the panel of judges, what struck a chord was the number of slips received for each home which simply stated ‘they are all heroes!’
Following presentations of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Crystal awards, certificates and winners’ cheques, Paul Jeffery, Chief Executive Officer at Caring Homes, praised and thanked staff for their dedication. Paul, who himself recently received the care industry’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, said his staff were the biggest source of inspiration.
After the awards ceremony Paul hailed the event a huge success. “At Caring Homes we are constantly looking for ways of raising standards in the industry and this awards ceremony provides wonderful examples of dedicated professionals who play an important role in the high quality of care we provide,” he said.
Other key people at the ceremony included Helena Jeffery, Group Operations Director, Suzanne Poulson, Group Learning and Development Manager for Training in Care and Andy Fairchild, recently appointed as Chief Operating Officer.
Caring Homes, the UK’s largest independent care home group, which runs over 80 care homes across England and Scotland, launched the Unsung Heroes Awards as a pilot scheme in its Southern Region Two last year. The scheme may now be extended to include the rest of England and Scotland.