Care workers from across country descended on Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey to celebrate our annual Agincare Heroes Awards. Now in their third year, the awards celebrate and recognise the excellence, dedication and skill of our incredible 4,000-strong workforce nationwide.
Winners and their guests (pictured below) travelled from around the country to receive a specially designed trophy or Agincare Hero medal, honorary certificate, as well as a bouquet and financial recognition from Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst and Chief Executive Raina Summerson.
Guest of honour Jane Townson, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, spoke at the event and also presented the Care Team of the Year Award to our Devon Project Team. We were also honoured to welcome Lee Wilkins from our main sponsor The Commercial Law Practice, who presented the Care and Support Worker of the Year to Laura Rawlings from our supported living community in Rowde. We welcomed Spencer Osborne from Partner Sponsors Bates Office Services, and our tanks go to CB Reid for sponsoring the Customer Service of the Year Award and Partner sponsor Wessex Plumbing and Heating.
15 winners were carefully selected by our judging panel from hundreds of nominations submitted by those receiving care and their families, health and social care professionals, Agincare colleagues and the general public.
Here’s your 2024 winners…
- Rising Star of the Year Award – Zara Sadiq
- Apprentice of the Year Award – Luminita Bunghez
- Outstanding Leader of the Year Award – Ildiko Frikker
- Volunteer of the Year Award – Alan Watters
- Customer Service of the Year Award – Sales Team
- Care and Support Worker of the Year Award – Laura Rawlings
- Registered Manager of the Year Award – Jamie Hepburn
- Support Team/Individual of the Year Award – Casey Butler
- Care Team of the Year Award – Devon Live-in Care Block Team
- The Mitchell Award for Outstanding Achievement – Crecy Care Home
- Agincare Hero Medal – Michelle Beer
- Agincare Hero Medal – John Kelham
- Agincare Hero Medal – Maggie Miller
- Agincare Hero Medal – Lia Khachapuridze
- Agincare Hero Medal – Karen Ingram
In pictures…
Agincare Hero Medal winner Karen Ingram (pictured above top right) said:
I cannot express how proud I am to receive an Agincare Hero award. My entire career journey is due to Agincare and how they have continued to believe in me. I could never imagine myself working anywhere else.
Our winners…
Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters
We are immensely proud to thank key partners who supported the awards who are as passionate as we are about recognising the incredible contribution that our care teams make to their communities day-in and day-out across the country. We’d like to say a massive thank you to our Agincare Heroes Awards Sponsors for their support:
Main Sponsor – The Commercial Law Practice
Award Sponsor – CB Reid Chartered Accountants
Partner Sponsor – Bates Office Services
Partner Sponsor – Wessex Plumbing and Heating Services
Warm thanks must also go to those companies and organisations that have made it possible for our 2024 care heroes to be treated to a truly glorious day, including:
Main Sponsor – The Commercial Law Practice
Our main event sponsor is The Commercial Law Practice, which specialises in property and commercial law. Since opening in 2006 the Dorchester-based practice has gone from strength to strength, and is based upon an open, friendly but committed approach to the services it provides. Director Lee Wilkins said:
The Commercial Law Practice is honoured and delighted to be invited to take part in Agincare’s landmark event to acknowledge and reward the hard work, care and kindness that the Agincare Heroes give throughout their working day to the people in their care and their colleagues. We would like to congratulate everyone at Agincare for a great job which is so well done.
The Commercial Law Practice strives to go that extra mile for its clients, whether that’s a house move, business sale, commercial lease, or other service.
Find out more about The Commercial Law Practice
Award Sponsor – CB Reid Chartered Accountants
CB Reid offers the expertise and experience of a major firm with the personal touch of a local business across the Dorset and further afield with a range of businesses and individuals. It specialises in providing accountancy, financial, and taxation expertise to individuals, businesses, corporations, public bodies, charities and professional practices. CB Reid believes in working in partnership, and understands that businesses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which is why a ‘one size fits all’ approach cannot be used. Director Pete Cattermole said:
CB Reid Limited is thrilled to support the Agincare Heroes Awards. The provision of quality care to the vulnerable in society whilst offering dignity and respect makes all of the Agincare frontline team heroes and we are delighted to help Agincare recognise those who have excelled in this mission.
Find out more about CB Reid Chartered Accountants
Partner Sponsor – Bates Office Services
Like Agincare, Bates Office is a family business with a proud heritage. Bates was founded by typewriter engineer George Henry Bates in the 1930s who went on to help the war effort by supplying and fixing typewriters for Churchill’s war cabinet. Throughout the years, Bates Office has grown and evolved steadily to become one of the largest business productivity providers in the UK with three distribution centres, 150 employees, and a 70-vehicle strong fleet. Bates Director Spencer Osborne said:
Bates are proud to be a partner sponsor for Agincare Heroes Awards 2024. We are immensely honoured to support Agincare, and play a part in recognising all the hard work that their teams do for the community.
Bates is ‘one-stop-shop’ for all office productivity requirements, including but not limited to office supplies, furniture, PPE and workwear, as well as tail end management.
Find out more about Bates Office Services.
Partner Sponsor – Wessex Plumbing and Heating Services
Wessex Plumbing and Heating Services is a well-established company based in Weymouth Dorset, covering the Southwest of England. With over 30 years of experience, it covers all aspects of plumbing and heating work including gas installations combi boilers and unvented water systems. Wessex Plumbing Director Colin Brumble has been working with Derek Luckhurst, who started Agincare, for over 35 years. Colin said:
We are delighted to be a partner sponsor of the Agincare Heroes Awards 2024. I have seen Agincare grow over the years due to the hard work and vision from Derek, Raina and all the Agincare team.
Wessex Plumbing are delighted to have played a very small role in the success of Agincare in maintaining the care homes.
Find out more about Wessex Plumbing and Heating Services
Celebrating incredible care heroes
Agincare Heroes Awards celebrate and recognise the excellence, dedication and skill of our incredible 4,000-strong workforce nationwide. Now in their third year, the awards were born out of the Covid pandemic to recognise the incredible efforts of every single team member with a Covid Hero Medal, which saw star of TV and film Joanna Lumley pay tribute to our workforce.
The awards have grown since then to become a highlight of the Agincare calendar and now include a range of categories, including the Agincare Hero Medal, which remains our prestigious award. This year we received over 500 nominations for our team members from colleagues, clients and their loved ones as well as partners such as the NHS, local authorities and others we work with.