The one off event, organised by the West Midlands Care Association and sponsored by the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Wolverhampton Cares campaign, is being held to recognise the efforts of the Adult Social Care workforce within the city.
There are four awards categories, with cash prizes for finalists who work for residential care providers or in domiciliary care.
Shortlisted in the Carer Award category, to recognise the skills and empathy required to deliver true person centred care, are Shevaunne Bennett-Blair (Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home), Yvette Solomon (City of Wolverhampton Council), Julie Hamilton (Aldergrove Care Home), Audrey Katena (Vicarage Homecare Ltd), Lynn Bermingham (Goldcrest Healthcare) and Gedi Gedi (Goldcrest Healthcare).
In the running for the Registered Manager Award, which will be presented to an individual who has demonstrated high levels of expertise and exception skills in managing complex businesses and teams, are Laura Holland (Select Healthcare – The Coach House), Balver Bisla (Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home and The Leylands Residential Care Home) and Aeon Anderson (African Caribbean Community Initiative).
Nominees for the Deputy Manager/Senior/Team Leader Award include Carol Shields (Forforte House), Lorna McKetty (Atiba House, Omari Housing) and Jackie Smith (Wentworth Lodge Residential Home).
Finally, the Wolverhampton Cares Award for Other Support Staff will recognise the contribution that non frontline staff such as cooks, garden staff, administrators and activity coordinators make to the care business and the quality of service users’ care. The shortlist includes Sarah Dixon (Goldthorn Lodge Ltd), Linsey Mitchell (The Leylands Residential Care Home) and Mandy Jones (Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home).
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at Grand Station next Friday (18 November 2022).
Meanwhile, 2 special awards will be presented by the West Midlands Care Association – the Outstanding Contribution to Care Award for Patricia Haywood, Manager of the Inspirations Residential Care Home, and a Lucky Dip Prize Award to Helen Jones, a Senior Carer with Beacon Centre for the Blind.
Councillor Linda Leach, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "We should all be incredibly proud of the work of adult social care staff in our city.
"They have always shown incredible dedication and compassion, none more so than during the Covid-19 pandemic, and next week's Wolverhampton Cares Award ceremony is a chance to celebrate their efforts.
"Each nominee has been able to demonstrate that they actively seek to support service users in achieving their outcomes and to take as much control over their day to day decisions as they are able to, that they provide consistently high standards of care and support, that they work effectively as part of a team, and that they show exemplary skills and dedication and commitment to their work. I would like to congratulate them all."
Jamie Bloomfield, Operations Officer for West Midlands Care Association, said: “We are delighted to host this exciting awards ceremony, on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council, for the adult social care sector in Wolverhampton.
"This is an opportunity to reward those who have worked so tirelessly throughout the Covid period and continue to do so, and we are thrilled to be able to work with Wolverhampton Cares to provide this celebratory event."
Wolverhampton Cares was launched last year to help the city's vital health and social care sector through another difficult Covid-19 affected winter and beyond. To find out more visit Wolverhampton Cares.
