Pelsall Hall care home in Pelsall, Walsall, which provides specialist dementia care has been recognised with two national Care Awards. Competing for these awards with 23 other care homes across the country, Home Manager at Pelsall Hall received the Innovation Award while one of care home’s laundry assistants was crowned ‘Unsung Hero’.
Due to the government imposed lockdown, Greensleeves Care Awards needed to be held as virtual events in each award category instead of the annual gala event held at Raddison Blu Hotel in London. However, this has not diminished the value of the individual awards or the excitement from winning the awards.
The Innovation Award aims to recognise an individual or a team for creating something new and innovative within the organisation that has benefited the residents within the care home. The concept must have been seen through from idea to reality, with the possibility of being replicated in other care homes.
Pelsall Hall Manager, Wendy Clifton, won the Innovation Award for signing up her home as one of the first care homes to the national Postcard for Kindness initiative which asks members of the public to send postcards to care home residents. As a result, the residents of Pelsall Hall received hundreds postcards from people which brought the residents great joy and the initiative was rolled out across all Greensleeves Care homes.
Tina Holloway, Laundry Assistant at Pelsall Hall, won Unsung Hero Award for her diligence, hard work and being a team player. Tina is a keen knitter and spends her time voluntarily making various items, from red poppies for Remembrance Sunday to ‘dementia awareness flowers’ for the home to sell to raise money for the residents’ amenity fund.
Wendy Clifton, Home Manager, said: “Tina always has the residents’ laundry ready in their rooms, lovingly put away and with her sewing skills will adjust, mend and put name labels on clothes for the families. She is always approachable, respectful, happy and jolly and is always seen putting herself out for everyone. She is one of the most valued members of the home team and definitely our unsung hero.”