Awards honour for outstanding carers

Outstanding carers were honoured at a special celebration event at Fakenham Race Course this week.

Amy Rix, of Cantley, and Spixworth resident Joanne Warrant were shortlisted for the prestigious Gill Chase Award along with East Runton resident John Thompson and Andrea Johnson, of Dereham.

The annual event is held to thank carers who have been nominated by their service users and their families for their outstanding work with home care company Extra Hands, which has an office at Horsham St Faith.

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.

Speaking during the award ceremony, Anita Walter, Public Relations and Marketing Director at Extra Hands said the competition was extremely tough this year and all four carers should be very proud of themselves to make the eight-person shortlist.

Amy Rix has worked for Extra Hands for just over two years. Her nominations stated her sense of humour and chatty style lighten up the days of service users. Her manner and skills give service users confidence in her judgement and capability. 

"Amy always suggests ways of doing things that will be more comfortable for the person she is caring for," another nomination form read

While Joanne Warrant, who has worked for Extra Hands for four years, always acts in a professional but very friendly, helpful and pleasant manner. 

Service users said Joanne always brings out the very best in whoever she is caring for, is never phased and does everything with a smile.

One nomination read: "Joanne is caring, thoughtful and anticipates the needs of the people she is caring for. She is always one step ahead and a lovely person,"

The winner of this year's Gill Chase Award was Stella Cason of King's Lynn who was described as a “wonderful carer who is very kind and thoughtful who constantly demonstrates empathy and understanding".

This year's runner up was Dereham resident Andrea Johnson who has worked for Extra Hands for just over two and a half years.

Her nominations said she has a very calm way about her, is always polite and she also pays great attention to detail. 

"To have been shortlisted and to hear what others have said about me, and then to have been a finalist is mind-blowing," Andrea said during the award ceremony.

"I like doing my utmost to help our service users and make sure they can stay in their homes for as long as possible so they can be stay as independent as possible. That's what my focus is - to look after our service users to the best of my ability. and make sure they are safe."

Hayley Claxton, manager at Extra Hands' Horsham St Faith office, said Andrea was a carer everyone would want in her team: "She is committed to ensuring that the people they support have a good quality of life.

"She will go that extra mile regularly, escorting their service users to our social events. She has taken the time to really understand people as individuals and she is outstanding in achieving good outcomes for them.

"Extra Hands are very lucky to have Andrea and she was so deserving of her nomination."

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.