The Corporate Leader Award
Highly Commended: Jenny Payne, IBC Healthcare
Jenny Payne exemplifies transformative leadership through strategic growth, person-centred care, and empowerment. Within months she expanded services like Lamb Street with Staffordshire Council and the ICB, aligning provision to community need. Rooted in compassion, integrity, and innovation, she builds pride, resilience, and a future of dignified care.
Winner: Lara Bywater, LDC Care
Lara Bywater impressed judges by engaging people who use services as integral team members and achieving a 5050 gender balance. This commitment enhances quality of life, challenges workforce norms, and sets a powerful example of leadership, inclusion, and empowerment across the care sector.
The Care Home Business Woman Award
Highly Commended: Fahreen Jivraj-Maguire, Serencroft
Fahreen Jivraj-Maguire blends sharp leadership with values-led innovation. She drove Serencroft’s sustainability programme, cutting carbon emissions by 80% while keeping growth aligned with dignity and quality. A generous mentor, she develops aspiring clinical and home managers—especially women—and builds inclusive teams where purpose and profitability thrive together.
Winner: Samantha Crawley, EQ Care Group
Judges praised Samantha’s wide experience and her constant drive to innovate new care models. She balances clinical excellence in a regulated sector with truly homely, responsive support for people who use services, and always builds strong connections with local communities.
The Home Care Business Woman Award
Highly Commended: Karina Brown, Home Instead Bromley, Chislehurst & Orpington
Karina Brown’s vision for exceptional home care has made her Bromley franchise top in a 260-office network. She grew revenue 56% in two years, expanded teams, and retained the borough’s only CQC Outstanding rating with a 10/10 homecare.co.uk score. She reinvests profits, innovates nationally, and mentors women.
Winner: Leena Lakhani, Home Instead Wembley & Ealing
Leena impressed judges with rapid service development and clear focus on both clients and Care Professionals. Her five-star employer award shows staff wellbeing is central. She also pioneered live-in care in 2018, innovating the model early and helping shape wider network practice.
The Third Sector Leader Award
Highly Commended: Karolina Gerlich, The Care Workers’ Charity
Karolina rose from frontline care to CEO of the Care Workers’ Charity in March 2020. She led £6.2m in grants to 13,000+ workers, expanded support into mental health, research and policy, and created Advisory Board and Champions projects that amplify care-worker voices and build a compassionate, ambitious sector culture.
Winner: Carren Bell, Lagan’s Foundation
Carren is somebody with lived experience who has used that for the benefit of others. Not only has she delivered policy, advocacy and profile-raising work, but she has also developed a range of practical services that will support families who have been through the trauma of losing a child. Carren has used her personal experience to help and support others.
The Rising Star Awards (Care Home)
Highly Commended: Cheryl Hampton, Blue Ribbon Health and Wellbeing
Cheryl earned Rising Star for the early impact she is making at Blue Ribbon Health and Wellbeing. She shows natural leadership, strong standards and unwavering focus on dignity and quality of life. Her warmth, capability and emotional intelligence inspire trust from colleagues and families alike.
Winner: Chloe Crew, Manor Community
Chloe Crew is a Rising Star at Manor Community for her energy, reliability and resident-first focus. She supports colleagues with positivity, steps up wherever needed, and brings quiet drive that strengthens culture and daily life for people living in the home.
The Rising Star Awards (Home Care)
Highly Commended: Clare Lawrence, Home Instead Wembley & Ealing
Clare rise from Care Professional to Experience Manager shows purpose-led leadership. She redesigned training into lively, scenario-based learning and created a clinical observation programme, so carers monitor key indicators, preventing avoidable admissions. Compassionate and ambitious, she is already delivering sector-level impact.
Winner: Isobelle O’Neill, Fairway Healthcare
Joining Fairway at 17 during COVID, Isobelle O’Neill now manages about 250 staff and 150,000 care hours a year. With a Level 3 distinction, she has mastered recruitment, payroll, training and sales. Her maturity, loyalty and people-first drive mark her as a future care leader.
The Rising Star Awards (Learning Disabilities)
Highly Commended: Natalie Henderson, Bondcare
Natalie Henderson has progressed from senior carer to managing Brancepeth Court’s 46-bed nursing home with warmth and skill. She keeps residents central, inspires deep team loyalty, and builds trusted links with families and professionals. Despite serious health challenges, she leads with resilience, humour and heart.
Winner: Sue East, Housing Plus Group
In only six months, Sue East has transformed her service through inclusive, empathetic leadership. She built trust quickly, listened hard, and introduced new ways of working that improve collaboration, accountability and learning. Her clarity, ambition and positive culture mark her as a true Rising Star.
The Rising Star Awards (Children & Young People)
Highly Commended: Chido Faith Motsi (Faith), 5ab Care
Faith Motsi shows exceptional dedication and compassion early in her career. She continually learns to provide individualised support, goes beyond expectations for colleagues, and kept working with inspiring resilience after a bereavement. She also helped open Willow Brook, taking on responsibility with clear leadership potential.
Winner: Kryss Kamara, Caridon Young Living
Kryss Kamara progressed from agency worker to Deputy Manager by her mid-twenties. As a care leaver, she brings powerful lived-experience insight, connects authentically with young people, and delivers structured, high-standard care. Completing her Level 5 Diploma, she shapes staff practice and is a future Registered Manager.
The Rising Star Awards (Partner Services)
Highly Commended: Lucy Gripper, Access Social Care
Newly qualified lawyer Lucy Gripper tackles some of the UK’s most distressing autism and learning-disability detention cases. She has helped dozens of families restore visiting rights and secure community discharges, including a young man secluded for two years. Her patience, compassion and tenacity make her a standout Rising Star.
Winner: Stefanie Ioannou, Shawbrook Bank Ltd
Stefanie Ioannou is a rising star in healthcare finance, supporting over fifty care operators across a £400m portfolio. She blends commercial rigour with deep care-sector insight, helping providers invest wisely, improve facilities, and safeguard quality. Proactive and trusted, her influence and leadership potential are growing fast.
The Equality and Diversity Award
Highly Commended: Pramojil Kurian, Barchester Healthcare
Pramojil has been recognised for embedding equality and diversity in everyday practice. As a senior leader he champions inclusive teams, culturally sensitive care, and fair opportunities. His steady advocacy fosters belonging and dignity for staff, residents and under-represented groups alike.
Winner: Margaret Conway, Coventry City Council
Margaret won this category for over 40 years championing equality and inclusion in social work. Known for compassionate, culturally responsive practice, she advocates tirelessly for marginalised people and models dignified, empowering leadership. Her legacy continues to inspire colleagues and communities across Coventry.
The HR and Recruiter Award
Highly Commended: Lucy Cruttwell, Consultus Care and Nursing
Lucy has modernised recruitment with a focused, friendly, global approach. She targets the right markets, builds strong candidate relationships, and streamlined CQC-compliant online onboarding, video interviews, and app-based document uploads—speeding progression into training and strengthening workforce supply.
Winner: Kelly Bennett, Bluebird Care
Kelly has been recognised for strengthening HR and recruitment at Bluebird Care. She improves pipelines, onboarding and retention through a values-led, inclusive approach that lifts staff experience and frontline stability. Colleagues describe her as supportive, resilient and visionary in building workforce growth.
The Communications Guru Award
Highly Commended: Danielle West, Bright Futures
Danielle is highly commended for creative, clear communications that elevate Bright Futures’ voice. She crafts inclusive, dignity-focused messaging, responds fast to sector pressures, and collaborates widely to keep communications people-centred. Her strategic insight builds engagement, trust and pride.
Winner: Anne Butler, The Hesley Group
Anne Butler has reshaped how The Hesley Group communicates with families and staff. She pairs strategic thinking with empathy, ensuring every message is clear, respectful and care-grounded. Her leadership boosts transparency, morale and stakeholder confidence across the organisation.
The Girl Power Award (Individual)
Highly Commended: Bella Hallam, Visiting Angels
Bella has demonstrated fearless, barrier-breaking leadership that champions dignity and inclusion. Her drive and ambition inspire colleagues, and her influence reaches well beyond her role. She is a powerful, energising voice for women across the care sector.
Winner: Simona Nikova, Excelcare
Simona leads with integrity, compassion and strength. She uplifts colleagues, advocates for those she supports, and consistently drives quality and inclusion across Excelcare. Her authentic, people-first leadership empowers others to achieve greatness in care.
The Girl Power Award (Team)
Highly Commended: Marketing Team, Trinity Homecare Ltd
Trinity Homecare’s Marketing Team has been recognised for their people-first campaigns that raise profile, drive growth and reflect the real impact of care. They work tightly with frontline services, respond quickly to sector pressures, and deliver creative, inclusive messaging with measurable results.
Winner: Sam Hunt, Leone Ridsdale, Clare Tomlinson, Milewood Health Care
Sam, Leone and Clare have won for their incredible collective Girl Power leadership. Their partnership strengthens services through shared values, creative problem-solving and visible mentoring. They build cultures where women and teams thrive and people supported experience better outcomes.
The Outstanding Partner Award
Highly Commended: Beverley Jones, Acuity Law
Beverley has had a distinguished 20 year career as a trusted social care legal partner. Leading major transactions for providers such as Cygnet, Choice Care Group, Achieve Together and Consensus, she combines commercial expertise with empathy, helping expand vital complex services across England and Wales.
Winner: The Leadership Team, Connect2Care Ltd
Connect2Care won this caregory for exceptional, co-produced training that upskills teams and improves outcomes. Their flexible apprenticeships meet frontline needs, while the women-led LeaderHERship programme boosts female confidence and progression. With strong service, innovation and moral purpose, they help providers grow sustainably.
The Social Change Agent Award
Highly Commended: Katrina Hall, The Bay Care Group
Katrina Hall embodies the spirit of a true social change agent. Locally she built a care organisation rooted in fairness, quality and inclusive career pathways. Nationally, as NCA Board Director and Providers Unite organiser, she fearlessly amplifies independent providers’ voices on policy, funding and workforce wellbeing.
Winner: Emily Aklan, Serenity Welfare Limited
Emily won this category for transforming care for vulnerable young people through Serenity Welfare’s trauma-informed model. Her Hope Instead of Handcuffs campaign challenged restraint in secure transport and has already driven reform in Wales and Scotland, with England expected to follow. She embeds dignity, safety and healing daily.
The Social Care Superwoman Award (Care Home)
Highly Commended: Maria Covington, Care UK
Maria has been recognised for making Weald Heights a dementia and end-of-life beacon. Since 2017 she has led 75/75 GSF accreditation, GSF Home of the Year 2024, VIPS accreditation and Outstanding CQC status. Her stable, empowered teams and innovation deliver exceptional satisfaction and safety.
Winner: Viviene Ziwocha, Cornerstone Healthcare Group
Viviene won for powerhouse leadership rooted in frontline mental-health nursing. She lifts teams, champions care workers, and drives higher standards and better conditions. A widely trusted mentor, she leads with resilience through adversity, transforming lives and strengthening services across the sector.
The Social Care Superwoman Award (Home Care)
Highly Commended: Siobhan O’Shea, Away Day Care
Siobhan has led a supported-living project for two extremely complex individuals, exceeding professionals’ expectations and winning families’ trust. Her grit, heart and innovative practice inspire colleagues, and she develops ambitious support and home-care staff.
Winner: Helen Palmer, Verve Homecare
Helen won for rapid, values-driven transformation at Verve Homecare. In 18 months, she introduced AI auditing to reach 100% compliance, rolled out Vatix to strengthen governance, and built a data-led Clinical Governance team. She mentors leaders, supports complex cases, boosts retention and gives families voice.
The Social Care Superwoman Award (Learning Disabilities)
Highly Commended: Victoria Brettwood, Bondcare
Victoria has risen from care assistant to Senior Manager and is CQC-registered for three Bondcare nursing homes. She champions women’s progression, mentoring colleagues into leadership and “growing her own” talent. Despite personal challenges and motherhood, she remains present, inspirational and values-led.
Winner: Janis Boqoui, Brandon Trust
Janis won for transformative Expert-by-Experience leadership. She advances equity through safeguarding and LeDeR panels, delivers inclusive clinical webinars, co-creates MCA training and supports NHS initiatives. As a co-researcher she founded a grief café and drives systemic change, reducing inequality for people with learning disabilities.
The Social Care Superwoman Award (Children & Young People)
Highly Commended: Francesca Bray, Haven Care Group
Francesca is highly commended for warm, integrity-led leadership as a Registered Manager. She goes above and beyond for young people, mentors staff and energises community and charity events. Her personal, strengths-based approach helps each child feel safe, valued and confident, making her a true social-care role model.
Winner: Leigh Coker, Safe Haven Accommodation
Leigh has been recognised for stepping into leadership with calm confidence and immediate impact. She puts young people first, adapts quickly, and uses deep knowledge to guide safe, nurturing practice. Colleagues rely on her steady support, and several young lives have already improved through her focus on outcomes.
The Talent Development Award
Highly Commended: Lyn Arnull, Central Bedfordshire Council
Lyn has created real career pathways into social work at Central Bedfordshire. Through pre-apprenticeships, targeted qualification support and confidence-building, she helped staff progress while cutting vacancies and turnover. Agency use fell sharply, improving services and saving costs.
Winner: Leah Smith, Berkley Care Group
Leah has demonstrated strong sector-leading talent development at Berkley Care Group. She co-created the “Inspirational Leaders and Sensational Teams” programme, blending strengths tools, coaching and workshops to build confident leaders. Engagement rose 19 ENPS points and turnover dropped 5%, future-proofing leadership culture.
The Wellbeing at Work Award
Highly Commended: Marcie Muschamp, Forevermore Care
Marcie champions wellbeing with empathy and flexibility. She supports a female-led team through personalised rostering, regular check-ins and help beyond work hours. Her care builds loyalty and outstanding retention, creating a culture where staff feel heard, valued and able to thrive.
Winner: Harika Thogarcheti, IBC Healthcare
Harika Thogarcheti has embedding wellbeing throughout IBC Healthcare. She introduced flexible working, open-door support, counselling access, wellbeing check-ins and manager training to spot burnout early. Her strategic, heartfelt leadership has lifted morale, reduced turnover and made staff feel respected and proud to belong.
The Woman in Tech Award
Highly Commended: Beverly Futtit, National Care Forum
Beverly Futtit has redefined digital transformation in social care. She created the Care Technologist role and a co-produced Level 3 qualification, making tech a workforce, person-led movement. Her Adult Social Care Testbed unites providers and researchers to build skills and improve outcomes.
Winner: Amanda Brooke, Lifeways
Amanda won this category for delivering a rapid digital shift at Lifeways. She rolled out Deputy e-rostering and Nourish e-care management across 10,000 staff in two years, replacing paper with real-time tools. Her collaborative approach improved efficiency, oversight and colleague experience, freeing staff to focus on people supported.
The New Business Award
Highly Commended: Adele Hollywood, Unity Lives
After redundancy, Adele Hollywood built Unity Lives from scratch into a trusted, family-run provider. Rooted in person-centred, aspirational values, the service now runs four supported-living homes with two more planned, supporting seven people with mental health, autism, learning disability, and physical needs to gain independence and community connection.
Winner: Hyland Support Services
Hyland Support Services won for pioneering a safe home for pregnant young women and babies. In 36 months, it grew to six homes supporting 17 young people, with 100% full-time retention. Judges praised rapid growth, strong culture, and impressive education outcomes for a highly stigmatised group.
The Inspirational Volunteer Award
Highly Commended: Ruby Thapa, Home Instead Greenwich, Bexley, Lewisham and Southwark
Ruby is a trailblazing youth volunteer whose project “AI and Us” empowers older, marginalised Gurkha community members. From teaching English to transforming tech access, Ruby breaks barriers with compassion and innovation. She’s created a disabled-friendly hub offering support with appointments, IT, and wellbeing. Her fundraising and leadership have inspired a growing team of volunteers.
Winner: Tina Mulroy, Langdale Care Homes
Tina has been honoured for her quiet, skilled volunteering that restores residents’ identity and joy. She listens to staff, crafts activities like her “gentlemen’s corner,” and supports safe, dignified engagement. Tina records what works, asks before helping, and lifts morale—giving residents their voice back.
The Lifetime Achievement Award (Community)
Highly Commended: Lynette Ranson, Coventry and Warwickshire ICB
Lynette has been recognised for an extraordinary 40-year children’s health and social care career and her courageous leadership of the Positive Directions pilot. From pioneering clinical roles to national safeguarding influence, she champions trauma-informed practice, amplifies children’s voices, and delivers system change that improves families’ lives.
Winner: Vic Rayner, National Care Forum
Vic Rayner OBE has been honoured for nearly a decade leading the National Care Forum, growing membership to 170+ and amplifying not-for-profit providers in government, Parliament and media. She chairs key workforce and tech advisory groups, leads globally through the Global Ageing Network, and unites the sector via the Care Provider Alliance.
The Lifetime Achievement Award (Residential)
Highly Commended: Zeenat Nanji, Southcare Homes
Zeenat has been recognised for 30+ years shaping Southcare Homes. From nurse to founder of a seven-home group, she built a culture of empathy and excellence. She remains hands-on, knows everyone by name, delivers training herself, and pioneers dementia tech with Brain+ and Ayla.
Winner: Geraldine Smith, Coate Water Care Co.
Geraldine has been honoured for building Coate Water Care from one home in 1995 to nine across six counties. Through political change and pandemic pressures, she sustained a family-owned provider defined by stability, safety and compassion. Colleagues and residents credit her determined, people-first ethos for consistent high-quality care.
The Special Recognition Award
Winner: Kaddy Thomas, Co-Founder of the Carers Collective
Kaddy Thomas has won this special award for her work in transforming support for unpaid carers through Carers Collective. She built a platform that amplifies carers’ voices, creates peer networks and drives inclusion. Her tireless advocacy, innovative programmes and commitment to empowering women leaders have reshaped the landscape for carers across social care.