The vital contributions of care professionals were celebrated at the annual Springfield Annual Recognition Awards on the 10th July at Grove House in Harrogate, an upcoming Springfield Healthcare development marking the next exciting chapter in the Springfield Care Village concept.
The event brought together Springfield’s dedicated home care and care home teams to honour individuals and teams who consistently go above and beyond in delivering exceptional care and support across Yorkshire and the North East.
The SARAs serve as a crucial platform to acknowledge the tireless efforts, compassion and innovation demonstrated by Springfield’s employees. From newcomers to seasoned leaders, each award category highlighted the diverse ways in which employees make a profound difference in the lives of those they support. The atmosphere was one of immense pride and camaraderie, a tribute to the collective commitment to person-centred care.
The SARAs celebrated a diverse group of outstanding individuals and teams from our Home Care division.
Salani Abeykoon from Darlington was honoured as the Care Newcomer for her warm smile and compassionate extra mile efforts, while Indunil Aluthwela, also from Darlington, was recognised as Home Care Worker for bringing joy and deeply connecting with customers, and the Campbell Court team received the Care Team award for their continuous environmental improvements and commitment to inclusion.
Christina Rogers from Hull was celebrated as Front Line Leader for her nurturing approach and dedication to supporting both colleagues and palliative care customers and Hazel Gambiza from Sheffield was recognised as the Dignity in Care Champion for empowering customer independence and mentoring colleagues. Rifut Ali from Sheffield won Support Team Member for Home Care for her knowledge, passion and promotion of diversity
Kristina James from Darlington won the Palliative Care Home Care award for her perfect articulation of great end-of-life care and fierce advocacy for customer wishes and Maria Fryer from Darlington also earned the Leadership award for her 10 years of dedicated service and motivating leadership.
Finally, the Stars of Stars awards went to Nicola Aves from Hull (Home Care) for her kindness, compassion, and vocational approach to care, often expressed through singing with customers.
From the Care Home, Stephanie Watson earned the Care Worker – Days award for her proactive inclusion of residents and person-centred approach. Princella Nkrumah won Care Worker – Nights for her positive energy and humour and Julie Coleman received the Senior Care Worker award for her natural leadership and passion for resident-centred care.
In support roles, Nick Spink was awarded Support Team Member for Springfield Care Home for his drive to improve resident lives and create a safe environment. In Palliative Care, Skye Hancock was the Springfield Care Home winner for her mature, kind and personal end-of-life care and the Star of Stars award went to Renata Kusmider for her sheer determination in challenging conditions.
Addressing the attendees, Graeme Lee, founder and Chairman, said “your examples of care, compassion, and unwavering dedication never cease to amaze us. You make us proud, you make us better, and you remind us why we do what we do.
Tonight is a celebration of you – the heart and soul of Springfield. Whether you’ve been with us for five years or twenty-five, whether you’ve joined us recently or you’ve grown alongside us – your contributions matter. You matter.”
The ceremony underscored Springfield’s commitment to fostering a supportive and rewarding environment for its staff, celebrating those who embody the organisation’s core values and set new benchmarks for excellence in the care sector.
