The Care Home Employer Award
Winner: Happy Futures Support Specialists Ltd
An inspirational, person-centred leader whose passion for colleagues and culture shines through. She champions recognition and reward, creating an exemplary workplace. Her initiatives, including team-building in Switzerland, demonstrate a genuine commitment to valuing people and fostering connection.
Highly Commended: Community Integrated Care
Edd is an inspiring and forward-thinking leader who truly understands the value of investing in his workforce. His people-first approach drives exceptional engagement, development, and performance. The outstanding metrics achieved under his leadership are sector-leading and reflect his commitment to creating a thriving, empowered organisation.
Highly Commended: Strong Life Care
Strong Life Care stands out for its exceptional commitment to staff wellbeing and development. With innovative childcare support, wellbeing funds, and a £1M training academy, they achieve under 2% turnover, fostering loyalty, opportunity, and excellence across a diverse, compassionate workforce.
The Home Care Employer Award
Winner: Complete Care West Yorkshire
Sara invests wholeheartedly in her family-run business and the wider community. She has developed accessible training programmes for families, staff, and other care providers. Deeply passionate about her team and clients, she fosters mutual respect and believes true success comes when everyone thrives together.
Highly Commended: Home Instead York
Although part of a franchise, the team has worked tirelessly to establish its own strong values. Their commitment to delivering exceptional, person-centred care and ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of clients truly sets them apart.
The Care Home Worker Award
Winner: Susan Bullock, Tanglewood Care Homes
Susan demonstrates outstanding dedication to training, innovation, and resident empowerment. Through creative and immersive learning such as dementia VR, Makaton, and practical moving and handling sessions, she builds staff empathy and confidence while enhancing resident care. Her focus on independence, dignity, and meaningful engagement exemplifies leadership, creativity, and compassion.
Highly Commended: Frank Mubayiwu, The Hesley Group
Frank’s creativity and commitment to truly individualised care shine through every aspect of his work. By fostering independence, tailoring activities to personal preferences, and promoting dignity, he achieves exceptional outcomes. His innovative and person-centred approach sets a benchmark for excellence and inspires others across the sector.
The Home Care Worker Award
Winner: Allgar Ziyanera, Continued Care
Allgar’s enthusiasm for her role was evident throughout the interview. She demonstrated a strong passion for continuous learning and development, along with a deep commitment to ensuring every individual is treated with the utmost respect, regardless of their condition or age.
Highly Commended: Diane Lord, Complete Care West Yorkshire
Diane impressed the judges with her heartfelt passion and genuine dedication to her role. She clearly values both her work and the individuals she supports. Her compassion, empathy, and unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in others’ lives shone through at every stage.
The Care Home Newcomer Award
Winner: Scott Halbert, Milewood
Scott is an inspirational young man whose passion for care shines through. He consistently goes above and beyond for the vulnerable adults he supports, showing empathy, dedication, and creativity. His positive attitude and commitment make a genuine difference and set a great example in care.
Highly Commended: Tshewang Yuden, Exemplar
Tshewang Yuden joined the team new to care and has quickly become an outstanding carer. Her kindness, patience, and professionalism have helped a young woman with a difficult care history rebuild trust and confidence. Her compassion and dedication make her a truly deserving candidate.
The Home Care Newcomer Award
Winner: Tom Gillen, Radfield Home Care
Tom began his career in care and has quickly progressed into a pivotal office role, helping the team improve the way they support people. He still carries out care shifts because he enjoys connecting with clients and sharing in their passions. Tom is a true inspiration to the industry.
Highly Commended: Fraser Starcan, Bluebird Care Leeds
Fraser consistently goes the extra mile to make his visits personalised and meaningful. He takes time to understand what matters to each person and demonstrates strong teamwork. Bringing his experience from volunteering in a dementia café, Fraser is a valued and dedicated member of the care industry.
The Care Home Registered Manager Award
Winner: Kasia Szatowska, Trust Care Ltd
Kasia is an exceptional Care Home Manager whose leadership, compassion, and innovation have transformed her home. She has expanded services for younger adults with complex needs, fostered a resident-led, inclusive culture, and inspired her team, making her highly deserving of this award.
Highly Commended: Ellen Jebson, First4Care
Ellen has transformed her home into a haven of safety, growth, and hope. Her compassion, dedication, and leadership empower young people and staff alike. She consistently prioritises others’ needs, fosters resilience, and nurtures positive outcomes, making her a truly deserving candidate.
The Home Care Registered Manager Award
Winner: Amanda Ramsay, Continued Care from Oakville Ltd
Amanda is a passionate and caring leader who prioritises staff wellbeing to ensure high-quality care. She promotes training, development, and progression, combining professionalism, knowledge, and genuine passion for care. Her leadership inspires a positive, motivated team and consistently delivers excellent outcomes for those they support.
Highly Commended: Sophie Bellwood, Bluebird Care Leeds North & Harrogate
Sophie has progressed through her career with drive and dedication, transforming care culture and challenging stigma. She understands the needs of customers, families, and staff, fostering confidence and collaboration. Her leadership modernises care, enhances quality of life, and inspires a committed, empowered team.
The Dignity in Care Award
Winner: Becky Bartlett, Complete Care West Yorkshire
Becky is an inspirational individual who ensures everyone she supports receives the highest standard of care. She advocates tirelessly for her clients, giving them a voice and championing their needs, while inspiring her colleagues through dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to quality care.
Highly Commended: Jade Hart, Bluebird Leeds North
Jade consistently goes above and beyond, ensuring dignity, independence, and personalised care for every client. From daily needs to complex health coordination, she adapts to meet individual requirements. Her compassion, professionalism, and dedication—particularly in end-of-life care—make her an outstanding and deserving candidate.
The Dementia Carer Award
Winner: Tammy Wilson, Exemplar
Tammy demonstrates exceptional compassion, insight, and dedication to both the people she supports and her colleagues. She consistently goes the extra mile, making a meaningful difference in lives and fostering warmth, optimism, and trust through her leadership, care, and genuine commitment.
Highly Commended: Marinda Aydinalp, RMBI
Marinda is an outstanding leader whose enthusiasm, experience, and creativity inspire those around her. She drives service improvements, creates better pathways, and transforms perceptions of dementia and ageing. Her warmth, energy, and visionary approach make her a truly inspiring and deserving candidate.
The Ancillary Worker Award
Winner: Mike Lindley, Strong Life Care
Mike consistently values clients and staff as equals, emphasising collaboration and shared decision-making. He balances independence with safety, demonstrating excellent judgment and empathy. His commitment to involving others in care decisions and fostering mutual respect makes him an outstanding and deserving candidate.
Highly Commended: Adele Wild, Complete Care West Yorkshire
Adele applies the highest standards of person-centred care, consistently asking what she would want for her own relatives. Her unwavering commitment to dignity, quality, and individual needs ensures exceptional outcomes, reflecting both professionalism and genuine compassion.
The Care Home Activities Organiser Award
Winner: Carla Omerta, Tanglewood Care Homes
Carla demonstrates extraordinary passion for engaging residents through creative and adventurous activities. From wish trees to helping residents achieve personal goals like horse riding or flying, her dedication, initiative, and commitment to enhancing experiences make her an inspiring and deserving candidate.
Highly Commended: Tracy Kemp, Exemplar
Tracy consistently brings creativity and energy to resident engagement. From Halloween performances to social initiatives connecting homes, her innovative ideas and enthusiasm enhance wellbeing, foster friendships, and enrich daily life. Her dedication and passion make her a highly deserving candidate for this award.
The Home Care Co-ordinator Award
Winner: Becky Smith, Abhi Rose Homecare
Becky is a dedicated Home Care Co-ordinator whose person-centred approach fosters trust and comfort for clients and families. She supports, trains, and empowers staff while consistently delivering high-quality care. Her resilience, professionalism, and commitment make her an inspiring and deserving candidate.
Highly Commended: Maria Gibson, Continued Care from Oakville Ltd – Harrogate
Maria consistently goes above and beyond, ensuring a large service runs smoothly and clients receive uninterrupted care. Her organisational skills, resilience, and dedication were highlighted when she successfully accommodated 13 complex care packages within 24 hours, demonstrating exceptional commitment and professionalism.
The Care Home Cook/Chef Award
Winner: Claire Northern, Danforth Care Homes (Sid Bailey Care Home)
Claire’s dedication to residents is exceptional. She goes above and beyond, working long hours to ensure full coverage and leading by example. Her passion extends to creating meals made with care, making both residents and colleagues feel valued, supported, and cared for.
Highly Commended: Eve Kelk, Springbank Care Home
Eve combines culinary skill with resident-focused innovation, adapting meals to ensure independence, nutrition, and enjoyment. Her leadership, creativity, and commitment to sharing knowledge with her team enhance the dining experience and wellbeing of residents, making her an inspiring and deserving candidate.
The Care Home Team Award
Winner: Stride Care Team, Proudfoot
Phenomenal! This team is focus-led, values-based, and value-driven. Led by someone who truly knows her team and leads by example, they recognise and embrace the health and social care models, using them to drive innovation and excellence. Determined to stand out, they push boundaries safely, thoughtfully, and effectively — a much-deserved winner.
Highly Commended: Atlantis Care Team, Waypoint
Wow! What an incredible team — one anyone would be proud to join. They use the language of family, care, and support, remaining conscious, child-focused, and purposeful. Their mission is clear: to build positive memories for young people, ensuring that “children don’t leave care — care leaves children.”
The Home Care Team Award
Winner: The Team, Complete Care West Yorkshire
Sara and her team exemplify excellence in care, combining advocacy, innovation, and community engagement. From memory groups to lunch clubs, their family-run approach and high standards create a gold-standard culture of compassion and professionalism, ensuring residents and families receive outstanding, person-centred support.
Highly Commended: The Home Care Team, Radfield Home Care Wakefield & Huddersfield
Radfield’s “Be There” culture delivers innovative, person-centred care for people with learning disabilities. Through wraparound live-in support, value-based recruitment, and personalised care plans, the team prevents unnecessary admissions, promotes safety and connection, and fosters a family ethos built on trust and confidence.
The Care Innovator Award
Winner: What To Do, Community Integrated Care
This inspiring team creates meaningful experiences for people with disabilities through engaging online classes, including sessions with well-known personalities. Their creativity, dedication, and perseverance provide unique opportunities that promote inclusion, engagement, and empowerment.
Highly Commended: Phil Bulpin, Exemplar
Phil’s creativity and technical skill, including his use of 3D printing, deliver innovative solutions that directly improve lives. His compassion, ingenuity, and work with the Enable charity demonstrate how innovation and care can come together to make a real difference.
The Frontline Leaders Award
Winner: Danielle Arnott, The Hesley Group
With over a decade in care, Danielle has progressed from Support Worker to Team Leader through dedication and vision. She empowers colleagues, supports residents with complex needs, and develops creative, collaborative solutions — a truly inspiring and highly deserving leader.
Highly Commended: Tamzin Maton, McCarthy Stone
Tamzin leads with care, inclusivity, and teamwork. Her creativity has improved vital systems, including DNAR processes and hospital transfers, ensuring residents’ dignity and wellbeing are always prioritised. A compassionate, innovative, and highly respected leader.
The Care Assessor Award
Winner: Wendy Coates, Radfield Home Care
Wendy delivers exceptional, personalised care through detailed assessments and ongoing reviews. Her professionalism, empathy, and mentoring provide clients and families with confidence, while driving innovation and high standards. Wendy’s dedication and expertise make her an outstanding and deserving winner.
The Three R’s Award
Winner: Sharon O’Brien & Minette Keyter, Happy Futures Support Specialists Ltd
Sharon and Minette place people at the heart of every decision, championing engagement and professional development. Drawing on personal experience, they inspire others, foster inclusion, and create a compassionate, effective care culture — a truly deserving pair of winners.
Highly Commended: Alex Lambert, Anchor
Alex recognises that motivated staff deliver the best care. As a district trainer, she has upskilled over 40 colleagues, strengthening teams, improving retention, and enhancing quality. Her dedication, expertise, and leadership shine throughout her work.
The Workforce Development Award
Winner: Amy Leiter, Cygnet Health Care
Amy makes learning accessible for everyone, overcoming barriers with creativity, empathy, and persistence. She tailors her approach to individual needs, building skills and confidence across her teams. Her dedication and commitment to inclusive education make her a highly deserving winner.
Highly Commended: Admire Mukondwa, VAAD Training Academy & Key Worker Staff Supply
Admire develops evidence-based, accredited training programmes that are both practical and impactful. His creativity, research, and dedication ensure care professionals are equipped with the skills and confidence to excel — a passionate advocate for excellence in training.
The Putting People First Award
Winner: Tracey Jennings, Milewood
Tracey is a passionate advocate for service users, promoting independence, wellbeing, and autonomy. She inspires her team through leadership and compassion, creating a motivated, caring environment where clients and colleagues alike thrive.
Highly Commended: Hanna Wheatley, Wilf Ward Family Trust
Hanna builds meaningful, trusting relationships with service users, empowering them to celebrate achievements and independence. She supports her team with empathy and dedication, ensuring every voice is heard — a remarkable advocate and leader.
The Palliative Carer Award
Winner: Rotherham Hospice at Home Team, The Rotherham Hospice
This compassionate team delivers exceptional end-of-life care, ensuring dignity, comfort, and peace at home. Through strong relationships and effective collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams, they create a supportive, respectful environment for clients and families.
Highly Commended: Emma Beattie, Strong Life Care
Emma provides compassionate, dignified care at life’s end. She supports families with empathy and professionalism, ensuring no one feels alone. Her unwavering commitment to quality and kindness makes her a truly exceptional carer.
The Social Care Nurse Award
Winner: The Nursing Team, The Old Rectory Nursing Home Doncaster
This dedicated team provides outstanding, person-centred dementia and palliative care, earning national recognition and a Platinum GSF Award. Their leadership, compassion, and commitment to training future nurses make them exemplary professionals.
Highly Commended: Isioma Chigonti, West Park Care
Isioma consistently delivers high-quality, compassionate care, combining professionalism with warmth and empathy. Her expertise and dedication make her a respected and deserving figure within her team and the wider care community.
The Housing with Care Award
Winner: Steven Corbin, Safe Haven
Steven is deeply passionate about supporting care leavers as they transition into adulthood. Recognising the lack of social housing, he is leading a major project to provide post-18 care leavers with secure housing until age 21. His tireless work ensures young people are supported, empowered, and never left behind — a true champion for change.
The Co-Production Award
Winner: Dawn Mitchell, Exemplar
Dawn is an exceptional advocate for co-production, empowering people to have their voices heard and ambitions realised. Through trust, respect, and genuine collaboration, she enables individuals to lead meaningful lives and influence real change within their communities and services.
Her unwavering commitment ensures people are active partners in shaping decisions, policies, and opportunities that affect them. Dawn’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: “This is their life, and they should be in charge of it.” She lives this daily, ensuring every voice is valued and heard.
The Unpaid Carer Award
Winner: Alan Taylor, Making Space
Alan is a dedicated and compassionate carer whose kindness, resilience, and humility shine through in everything he does. Always offering support and encouragement to others, he inspires fellow carers with his quiet strength, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to those he cares for.
The Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award
Winner: Megan Bradbury & Natalie Dobson, The Rainbow Care Group
Megan and Natalie demonstrate exceptional passion, dedication, and professionalism in developing and leading their service. Their commitment to quality care, staff development, and client wellbeing inspires everyone they work with — two truly outstanding contributors to social care.
Highly Commended: Attila Borbely, AmBience Healthcare Ltd
Attila brings humour, warmth, and empathy to his role, building strong relationships and enhancing wellbeing. His dedication to care and compassion makes him a valued colleague and a deserving recipient of recognition.
