The Housing with Care Employer Award

Strong Life Care 

An outstanding employer, Strong Life Care demonstrates an unwavering commitment to quality housing, investing in its people, services and environments to achieve exceptional outcomes. Through visionary leadership, meaningful collaboration and a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, it has created a thriving workplace culture that inspires excellence and delivers lasting impact.

Southern Healthcare Specialists 

Southern Healthcare Specialists have a strong commitment to delivering quality housing and supporting its workforce. This organisation has demonstrated impressive leadership, collaboration and investment in its people. Its inclusive approach, focus on continuous improvement and dedication to creating a positive workplace culture have resulted in meaningful outcomes for residents and employees alike.

The Care and Support Worker Award (Independent)

Sarah Burrows, Engage Support

Sarah’s passion for her role and the people she supports shone through in every part of the conversation. She spoke with genuine warmth, compassion, and humility, always focusing on the achievements and wellbeing of her residents rather than herself. When sharing stories about the individuals she supports, her face lit up with pride, and it was clear how deeply she cares about making a positive difference in their lives. The dedication and respect she demonstrates within her keyworker role, and towards everyone she supports, is truly inspiring. Sarah’s selfless commitment, kindness, and unwavering compassion make her exceptionally deserving of this award and recognition for the incredible work she does every day.

Carmen Ionescu, Gold Care Homes

Carmen is a breath of fresh air and exactly the kind of person the care sector needs. She is genuinely caring, highly motivated, and deeply committed to making a positive difference in the lives of those she supports. What sets her apart is her willingness to share her own lived experience, using it to build trust, understanding, and meaningful connections with others. At the same time, she is equally eager to learn about the experiences of the people she supports, ensuring their voices are heard and valued. Carmen’s empathy, openness, and drive to improve outcomes make her an inspiring and invaluable presence within the service.

The Care and Support Worker Award (Not for Profit)

Hayley Bremner, Sanctuary Supported Living 

Hayley provides outstanding commitment to her role and believes in building strong supporting life skills for the young adults in her care. Hayley provides knowledge and skills for people to make independent decisions in their life, giving them back choice.  Hayley strives for open healthy communication with everyone she cares for ensuring she also provides safe spaces for them. Hayley not just listens, but hears people which provides them with comfort and reassurance. 

The Frontline Leader Award

Imelda Varquez, The Gables Residential Home

An exceptional leader whose vision, dedication and commitment to continuous improvement have transformed the delivery of care and support. By inspiring colleagues, embracing innovation and championing positive change, Imelda has empowered others to achieve excellence, creating lasting benefits for residents, teams and the wider organisation she serves.

Kelly Smith, Advinia

Kelly has a proactive leadership and unwavering commitment to enhancing care and support services. Through reflective practice, strong collaboration and a determination to improve outcomes, Kelly has motivated colleagues, driven meaningful change and made a significant contribution to the quality of life of residents.

The Housing Manager Award

Christian Whiteley-Mason, Strong Life Care 

Christian’s unwavering commitment, passion, and dedication to the 40 clients supported across his services for people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and over-55s is truly inspiring. Community remains at the heart of everything he and his team do, creating a fun, caring, and supportive environment where people feel valued and empowered. Alongside delivering outstanding care, Christian, his staff team, and clients actively raise funds for important local causes, making a real difference beyond the service itself. Their hard work has earned top ratings from regulators and prestigious recognition from the King at Buckingham Palace for their exceptional fundraising achievements. Congratulations to Christian and the entire team.

Kate Molope, Sanctuary Supported Living

Kate shows exceptional dedication in supporting the housing needs of some of the most vulnerable members of society, particularly homeless families with children. She understands that it is often the little things that make the biggest difference, helping families feel safe, valued, and supported during difficult times. Kate is passionate about helping people settle into stable homes, rebuild their confidence, and create a positive future for themselves and their children. Through her caring approach and innovative ways of encouraging communication and engagement, she empowers families to move forward with hope and optimism. Her compassion and commitment make a lasting impact on every family she supports.

The Housing with Care Manager Award

Haleema Shakeel, Enabling Lives

Haleema Shakeel is deeply passionate about the service she provides and is fully committed to delivering outstanding support to homeless families with children. She leads with a truly person-centred approach, ensuring every individual’s voice is heard, respected, and central to the support they receive. Haleema creates a caring and empowering environment where families feel valued and encouraged to rebuild their confidence and future. She uses dynamic, creative, and innovative tools to engage children and young people, helping them achieve positive outcomes and brighter opportunities. Her compassion, dedication, and enthusiasm make a lasting difference, inspiring positive change and creating meaningful impact within the lives of the families she supports.

Lisa Carpenter, Housing 21 

Lisa is highly knowledgeable about the care sector and is deeply passionate about delivering an excellent service to residents. She is committed to creating a high-quality, supportive environment where individuals feel respected, valued, and cared for. Alongside her dedication to residents, Lisa places great importance on developing and empowering her staff team, encouraging high standards, continuous learning, and professional growth. Her positive attitude and strong leadership are evident in everything she does. Lisa embraces change with enthusiasm and use her energy and forward-thinking approach to successfully drive new initiatives, inspire those around her, and continuously improve the quality of care and support provided.

The Team Leader Award (Independent)

Josephine Ballantyne, Five Rivers

Josephine is an outcome-focused professional who takes great pride in the high standards achieved by both her and her team. She is committed to creating a positive and supportive workplace culture, promoting an open and transparent “no blame” environment where staff feel confident to raise concerns, ask questions, and seek guidance without fear of judgement. Joanne understands the importance of balancing the needs of individuals alongside the wider team and consistently ensures the right support is available during challenging periods. Her compassionate leadership, professionalism, and commitment to staff wellbeing help create a resilient, motivated, and empowered team dedicated to delivering excellent outcomes for those they support.

Emma Beattie, Strong Life Care

A genuinely compassionate and dedicated leader, she consistently places service users at the centre of everything she does. Her caring and approachable nature creates a positive and supportive environment for both staff and residents alike. She leads by example, regularly working alongside her team on the floor and always making herself available to offer guidance, encouragement, and practical support, particularly to new staff members or colleagues facing challenges. She recognises that personal circumstances can impact wellbeing and performance and takes time to listen, support, and reassure her team. Her empathetic, hands-on approach fosters trust, confidence, and teamwork, creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported.

The Team Leader Award (Not for Profit)

Maxine Reeves, Alternative Futures Group

Maxine truly embodies what it means to be committed to both her team and the people they support. She leads with authenticity, compassion, and professionalism, achieving the perfect balance between strong leadership and positive role modelling. Maxine sets high standards while remaining approachable, empathetic, and supportive, ensuring both staff and service users feel valued and respected. She inspires those around her through her dedication, positivity, and genuine passion for delivering excellent care and support. Her ability to motivate and empower others creates a strong, inclusive team culture where people feel encouraged to grow and succeed. Maxine’s leadership is inspiring and makes others want to work alongside her.

Jason Broughton, Sanctuary Supported Living 

I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Jason and found him to be both inspiring and genuinely authentic. His passion, honesty, and dedication were evident throughout our conversation, making a lasting impression. Jason speaks with sincerity and purpose, creating an immediate sense of trust and respect. He is approachable, down to earth, and clearly committed to making a positive difference for both his team and the people he supports. His leadership style is motivating and empowering, encouraging those around him to strive for excellence while remaining compassionate and person-centred. Jason’s positivity, integrity, and genuine care for others make him an exceptional individual and a truly inspiring professional to speak with.

The Senior Leader Award

Debby McGinnes, Middleton Hall Retirement Village 

Debby is a very experienced leader who has driven meaningful change, whilst maintaining a focus on excellent care and ensuring high quality training and support for her staff. Debby combines vision, integrity and strong support for her team. Debby has a genuine desire to consistently improve care and standards, and she has been responsible for introducing a number of new care initiatives.

Amy Birch, EveryDay Care and Support Service

Amy has a genuine passion for the role and ensures that her staff and clients are well looked 

after. She is committed to creating a purposeful dementia friendly community and 

introducing best practice and new initiatives. Amy’s leadership focuses on person-centred 

care. Amy is a passionate, enthusiastic and approachable leader. 

The Care Team Award (Independent)

The Storyy Homes Team, Storyy Group

The Storyy Homes team places residents at the heart of everything they do, promoting independence and celebrating every achievement, no matter how small. Through positive encouragement and support, residents are empowered to achieve their personal goals. The team also fosters a strong workplace culture, regularly recognising staff contributions and ensuring everyone feels not only listened to, but truly heard and valued.

The Care Team Award (Not for Profit)

Complex & Specialist Care & Support Team, Alternative Futures Group

The team demonstrated exceptional passion and dedication to supporting individuals, with a strong focus on creating environments tailored to each person’s unique needs. Their collaborative approach was evident throughout, ensuring assessments carefully considered every aspect of an individual’s wellbeing, preferences, and outcomes. The Complex & Specialist Care and Support Team stood out for their commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centred support while working closely together and alongside wider professionals. They went above and beyond in explaining the ethos of the organisation, highlighting their dedication to continuous improvement through data analysis, trend monitoring, and informed decision-making. Their hands-on support and commitment to achieving positive outcomes were truly inspiring.

Knaves Court Care Team, Housing 21 

Staff within the service demonstrate genuine commitment and determination in supporting individuals to achieve positive outcomes, always recognising and respecting the diverse needs of those accessing the service. The staff and management team work closely and collaboratively together to ensure individuals remain at the centre of all planning, decision-making, and support provided. There is a strong culture of celebrating success, with achievements consistently recognised and shared across the team. Management have an excellent understanding of the service and take pride in acknowledging not only the accomplishments of residents, but also the dedication and hard work of staff. This daily recognition creates a positive, motivated, and supportive environment for everyone involved.

The Housing Team Award

Kadesh Team, Langley Trust

This team delivers truly life-changing support across both hostel and community settings, working with some of the most vulnerable individuals in society, including people experiencing homelessness, substance misuse, offending histories, and mental health challenges. Their compassionate, person-centred, and community-focused approach empowers individuals to rebuild confidence, regain independence, and work towards safer, more positive futures. The team consistently goes above and beyond to build trusting relationships, reduce social isolation, and create meaningful opportunities for growth, recovery, and stability. Their dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to improving lives is evident in every aspect of their work, making a lasting and positive impact within the communities they support.

The Northam Care Trust Supported Living Team, The Northam Care Trust 

This team provides exceptional supported living services for individuals with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, and complex needs across the community. Their innovative and values-driven approach places people at the heart of everything they do, promoting independence, inclusion, emotional wellbeing, and genuine choice. They create safe, supportive, and empowering environments where individuals feel respected, connected, and able to thrive within their communities. The team is dedicated to helping people build confidence, develop life skills, and achieve meaningful outcomes that enhance quality of life. Their compassion, professionalism, and commitment to person-centred support ensure every individual is empowered to live a fulfilling, valued, and meaningful life.

The Activities Co-ordinator Award

Kelly Hayes, Askham Village Community

Kelly shows genuine passion for her role and deeply values the impact of her work. She ensures that all funds raised are reinvested into meaningful activities that enhance residents’ wellbeing and quality of life. Recently, she organised a memorable boat trip that brought joy and excitement to residents and their families, creating lasting memories. Kelly is committed to continuing and growing her fundraising efforts, with the aim of providing even more enriching, inclusive experiences for everyone.

Charles & Tina Parker, Kind Tailored Care

What started as support for their son has grown into helping many families navigate autism. Using lived experience, they offer guidance, reassurance, and practical advice, empowering others to make informed decisions and improve outcomes.

The Care Handyperson Award

Lee Spierti, Supported Living Services Ltd

Lee goes above and beyond in supporting both residents and the wider community. Not only does he run practical workshops that empower residents and clients to repair, build, and create their own projects, but he also plays an active role in supporting local food banks and clothing banks. His commitment to inclusion and communication is particularly inspiring, having learned both British Sign Language (BSL) and Makaton to ensure residents can fully understand and engage in discussions about maintenance and their living environment. Lee’s compassionate, hands-on approach promotes independence, confidence, and community connection, making a meaningful and lasting difference to the lives of those he supports every day.

Martin Snodin, Milford Care 

Martin is dedicated to ensuring both he and his team take the time to truly understand each resident, including their individual communication needs, preferences, and anxiety triggers. By building strong, trusting relationships, he helps create a safe and reassuring environment where residents feel respected and comfortable in their own homes. His thoughtful and person-centred approach is particularly important when maintenance work is required, ensuring residents are prepared and supported so they do not feel anxious or overwhelmed by unfamiliar people entering their space. Martin’s compassion, awareness, and commitment to individual wellbeing help promote trust, reduce anxiety, and ensure residents feel safe, valued, and always supported.

The Chef Award

Marcela Morales, Rangeford Villages 

Demonstrating excellence in the whole-home approach to food and nutrition, Marcela has placed wellbeing at the heart of her catering provision. Through outstanding collaboration between catering and care teams, innovative nutrition initiatives and staff development, she enriched residents’ health, enjoyment and quality of life.

Nigel Cooke, Cinnamon Care

Nigel has a strong commitment to promoting nutrition, hydration and resident wellbeing. By fostering effective partnerships between catering and care staff, delivering engaging nutrition-focused activities and investing in staff awareness and training, he has created a positive dining experience that supports both health and happiness.

The Garden Landscaper Award

Claire Harris and Simon Moore, Welford Healthcare

Claire and Simon have gone out of their way to ensure that the gardens look incredible and give a sense of creativity to not only the residents who live there, but also to the family members that are visiting their loved ones. Simon has gone above and beyond to ensure that the animals within the garden are looked after by building and creating log cabins, along with introducing fairy houses in which peoples loved ones, grandchildren and family can complete the trail with booklets and handouts to make the experience more enjoyable for all. A real credit to his team and the residents.

Mike Lindley, Strong Life Care 

Mike is passionate about the residents and engages them well. Mike has made positive changes within the care home and the community, welcoming schools and veterans in for activities and coffee mornings, offering them a sense of community along with ensuring the residents have time spent with them, putting smiles on all their faces.

The Housekeeper Award

Karl Marsden, Strong Life Care 

Karl demonstrates exceptional passion and commitment in his role, consistently delivering the highest standards of care and support for residents. He ensures residents are actively involved in decisions and feel genuinely heard, while championing their individual preferences and needs. With a keen eye for detail, Karl maintains a well-organised service, ensuring compliance with health and safety and ICP requirements. Through daily flash meetings, he keeps both himself and his team informed, engaged and focused on delivering excellent outcomes.

The Building Design Award

Barnsley Street Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre, Look Ahead, East London NHS Foundation Trust, and Tower Hamlets Mental Health Alliance

An outstanding example of innovative and resident-centred design, this development successfully combines imagination, functionality and sustainability. Through the thoughtful integration of technology, green solutions and future-focused care principles, it creates an inspiring environment that enhances wellbeing, supports independence and responds effectively to the evolving needs of residents.

The Outreach Community Service Award

Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) – Community Development Dept, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG)

Wythenshawe Community Housing Group showed incredible passion and commitment to bringing the community together. Through youth work, community events, digital inclusion, and strong local partnerships, they have helped people of all ages feel supported, connected, and valued, while creating real opportunities and positive change throughout the local community

The Baskeyfield House Team, Sanctuary Supported Living

The Baskeyfield House Team created a warm and thriving community where residents feel included, valued, and supported to live fulfilling lives. Through innovative activities, strong community partnerships, and a “no limits” approach, they have helped reduce isolation, build confidence, and create meaningful connections for both residents and the wider community.

The Supported Housing Innovation Award

Nisha Patel, Care Property Hub

Nisha has redefined what is possible within supported housing, delivering measurable improvements in resident wellbeing and satisfaction. Through a creative, evidence-based approach, Nisha has addressed real challenges, enhanced outcomes and set a new benchmark for the sector, demonstrating lasting impact and transformative potential for residents and providers alike.

Sukhvinder Rai, The Housing Network

Sukhvinder has created an innovative solution that has delivered meaningful benefits for residents and strengthened the quality of supported housing services. By responding effectively to resident needs and demonstrating clear, positive outcomes, this initiative has shown impressive creativity, practical application and significant potential to influence wider sector practice.

The Workforce Development Award

James Punch, IBC Healthcare

An exceptional workforce development programme that demonstrates a clear commitment to learning, growth and excellence. Through innovative, inclusive and diverse training approaches, James has equipped staff with the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to deliver outstanding services, ensuring workforce development remains closely aligned to organisational and resident needs.

Phillippa Lunn, Blue Sunrise Care LTD

Phillippa has a strong commitment to staff development and continuous learning. By delivering engaging and accessible training programmes that reflect different learning styles and service requirements, Phillippa has strengthened workforce capability, supported professional growth and helped create a skilled, motivated team dedicated to high-quality outcomes.

The Care Commissioner Award 

Gracy Metilda, Chosen Care Group

An exceptional care commissioner whose collaborative approach has delivered outstanding care solutions in partnership with housing providers. Through proactive leadership, preventative strategies and effective engagement with stakeholders, Gracy has improved outcomes for residents, driven service excellence and demonstrated a clear commitment to delivering sustainable, person-centred care and support.

The Tenant Co-Production Award

Cygnet Social Hubs, Cygnet Group

Cygnet Social hubs are transforming recreational spaces across multiple services with coproduction involvement. Spaces are well planned, inclusive and have a range of thoughtful activities that clearly add to the quality of life of the adults with learning disabilities, that they work with, in spaces which are safe, supported and engaging. Cygnet Social Hubs demonstrate a strong commitment to co-production by actively involving people with lived experience in the design, development and delivery of recreational and social spaces across multiple services. The project provides clear examples of how people’s views, ideas and experiences have shaped the environments and activities on offer. The resulting spaces are inclusive, welcoming and thoughtfully designed, offering a range of opportunities that enhance wellbeing, connection, independence and quality of life for adults with learning disabilities. What particularly stood out was the scale of involvement, the diversity of people engaged in the process, and the tangible impact on those using the spaces. The hubs create environments that are safe, supported and engaging, whilst promoting choice, participation and belonging. 

Heads-Up Customer Newsletter, Look Ahead

This organisation demonstrates a strong commitment to tenant co-production by actively involving residents in shaping services, influencing decisions and driving meaningful change. There is clear evidence that residents’ views, experiences and ideas are valued and embedded throughout the organisation. What particularly stood out was the depth of engagement and the willingness to go beyond traditional consultation methods to create genuine partnerships with residents. The approach has strengthened outcomes, increased satisfaction and fostered a culture where residents feel heard, respected and empowered. The result is a service that truly places residents at the heart of everything it does.