Award honours for West Norfolk carers

Four West Norfolk carers were honoured at a special celebration event at Fakenham Race Course last week.

Stella Cason, Pam Aberdeen and Julie Wooberry, all King's Lynn, and Heacham resident Susan Bloy were all shortlisted for the prestigious Gill Chase Award.

The annual event is held to thank carers who have been nominated by their service users and their families for their outstanding work with Heacham-based home care company Extra Hands.

The Gill Chase Award was started five years ago in memory of a long-standing Extra Hands carer who died suddenly in 2014 aged 68, and a total of 90 staff members were nominated -  the highest total in the five year history of the award.

The competition was extremely tough this year but Stella, who joined Extra Hands just over a year ago, took the 2019 title. The King's Lynn resident's nominations described her as a “wonderful carer who is very kind and thoughtful who constantly demonstrates empathy and understanding".

“She is hugely patient and does it all with a smile. I could not cope with mum’s needs without all of your team and I value Stella’s love, foresight and communication,” said one nomination form.

Stella, who has two grown-up children and a partner Ian, previously worked at a residential care home and was overwhelmed to win the Gill Chase Award. 

"I didn't expect this. I really enjoy what I do. I'm happy here and it's nice when you know you've brought enjoyment to somebody and made their lives easier - that's rewarding enough for me.

"It's lovely to get this award. But, as I say, if I go somewhere and a service user has got a smile for me, and they are happy when I've left that is rewarding enough for me. One of my service users recently put a little sticky note on me that said 'Stella the Best' and that just meant everything to me."

She added: "Extra Hands is a lovely company to work for. I think the support you get makes this company stand out. When you've got everyone from top to bottom working as a team, you never feel like you are working on your own."

Lynda Hilliard, manager of our Heacham office, had nothing but praise for Stella: "She is naturally caring and well organised and colleagues have praised her when they have been out shadowing her.

"Families have complimented Stella about the quality time she spends with their relations and the kindness shown - she always goes that extra mile. Stella is very professional at all times, supporting our service users in every aspect, enjoying the time she spends with them and takes pleasure in listening to stories they have to tell."

As for Pam Aberdeen, Susan Bloy and Julie Wooberry, they were presented with a certificate by Extra Hands founder David Evans along with company director and wife Hazel.

Pam was one of the longest service Extra Hands employees before retiring from work having recently reached her 16 year service milestone. 

Her nominations said she always sees life from the point of view of the people she is caring for. 

"Pam is very friendly, understanding and she lights up a room. She always puts others before herself, has a big heart and wants to help everyone," Pam's nomination added.

Susan Bloy's nominations said that nothing was too much trouble for her before concluding with: "She is always cheerful, smiling and would do anything for you. She has a very kind heart and is always attentive. She has great knowledge of care."

While Julie Wooberry's  nominations said she always treats everyone with dignity and respect and that she builds people up when they are feeling down.

It continued: "She is a wonderful person who is always cheerful. She understands that no two days are the same and quickly adapts and modified to the task in hand."
Extra Hands' Heacham office was rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year.. The company was also the first in the county to offer well-being checks to help reassure families and friends who can’t always be available to help.