(Published 1 July 2022)
On 27th June 2022, we announced the extraordinary winners of our first ever Agincare Heroes Award.
The exclusive ceremony was preceded by welcome drinks and lunch before winners were honoured at The Manor House near Castle Combe in Wiltshire.
Celebrating Agincare Heroes Awards
The Agincare Heroes awards pay tribute to team members that have gone above and beyond the call of duty in some special way, or excelled by making an outstanding difference to the lives of those they support.
Nominations opened in June 2021 with families, health care professionals, partners, colleagues and the general public invited to name their Agincare Hero.
Of the hundreds of nominations received, just 12 select individuals out of Agincare’s 3,800 strong workforce nationwide were chosen to receive the elite award; which included a specially-made Agincare Hero medal and honorary certificate.
A ceremony fit for heroes
Winners of the Agincare Heroes award and their guests travelled from around the country to the prestigious ceremony to be presented with their awards by Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst and Chief Executive Raina Summerson. Winners also received a luxury hamper, grand bouquet of flowers and £500.
Paying tribute to all the inspirational winners, Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst said:
I would like to congratulate every single Agincare Hero that we are honouring today. The award is our equivalent of the George Cross, so they are the crème de la crème of Agincare and truly extraordinary people.
The exceptional professionalism and dedication of all of our people working together as the team is the reason why our feedback from clients is consistently positive, and I would like to thank them for what they have done over the last two and a half years during the pandemic.
Meet a few of our Agincare Heroes
Jackie Ash
Activities Co-ordinator Jackie Ash was the first winner of the Agincare Heroes award to be welcomed to the stage to collect her certificate and medal. Described as the ‘beating heart’ of Lansdowne Hill Care Home, she received numerous nominations from friends, colleagues and families of residents.
Always going above and beyond to bring joy to residents, Jackie was credited with ‘bringing the community into the care home and the care home into the community.’
During the ceremony, she was praised for her imagination and creativity which sees her entering the home into village competitions and baking cakes in her own time for the residents.
Yvette Stubbs
Amongst the winners from the live-in care teams was Yvette Stubbs, a Care Worker from Portsmouth.
Yvette was nominated for the Agincare Heroes award by the family of Hazel, whom she supported with end of life care for just over a year.
When Hazel was discharged from hospital, she was unable to mobilise without assistance from two care workers but, thanks to Yvette’s iron-will and determination, she made remarkable progress. So much so that Hazel was able to move independently in time to celebrate her 100th birthday at home with three generations of her family.
Having received the Agincare Heroes award, Yvette addressed the room with her thanks to Hazel’s family and gave a moving reflection on what caring for Hazel has meant to her.
Hazel passed away in March and losing her is still very fresh. I am proud to have cared for her and to be receiving this award thanks to Hazel and her family.
David Lovelidge
Another of our worthy winners was Brighton Home Care Worker David Lovelidge.
Hosting the event, Director of Head Office Services, Adam Luckhurst introduced David as someone who has been able to find the good in everything, and emphasised his strength and compassion towards one client, Diana.
David shouldered a tough time for Diana and her family as they came to terms with her dementia diagnosis and even made an appearance as Father Christmas last year at the expense of time with his own family.
Accepting the Agincare Heroes award, David stressed:
For me it is all about the families. They have to go through those difficult times every day. That’s why I care.
A surprise Agincare Heroes Award
The final winner of the ceremony went to Agincare Chief Executive Raina Summerson for showing inspirational leadership throughout the Covid pandemic.
The award also recognised Raina’s voice as a passionate advocate for social care reform at Government level, key sector events and in the national media.
Raina said:
I am touched and honoured to receive this award but it is really a reflection of the heart, emotional commitment and hard work of all of our colleagues during some difficult times, when we all pulled together as a team.
The heart to care
The ceremony concluded with photos taken on the lawns of the golf course with the sun shining as if to congratulate our winners. With the nerves of going up on the stage behind our Agincare Heroes, there was a true sense of celebration and gratitude which was shared by all.
In this concluding scene, there was a reminder of what was truly special about this occasion. Through one of the most difficult periods in modern memory, the Agincare team never lost sight of the people around them and never stopped going above and beyond to care for those who needed it most.
As our 12 winners had cared for others, it was a day to show how much Agincare cares for them.
Do you have what it takes to be an Agincare Hero?
Be part of our ongoing growth, and start a career with heart today…
- Work with heart – we have careers to love, giving back to your community and supporting those who need it most. Work alongside friendly and professional teams, and meet incredible people
- Excellent benefits – we offer a range of benefits; from paid training, to DBS paid upfront, welcome bonuses, national discounts, competitive pay and more, because kindness deserves reward
- Room for growth – we are committed to your career development. We will support you in gaining new qualifications and expanding your career
- Fit with your lifestyle – care work can be as flexible as you need, with patterns to suit your lifestyle. Part-time seasonal work is available, as well as long-term stable placements