Celebrating our People: Ashberry Staff Awards 2026

‍

This year, we did something a little different with our Staff Awards. Rather than holding the celebrations away from our homes, we brought them right into the heart of where our teams work every day, inviting residents, families and friends to join us in recognising the achievements of our staff.

This year's celebrations were hosted by Claire Fry, Operations Director, across our homes. We were also pleased to welcome Nigel Denny, CEO, and Gary Cottrell, CFO, who visited two of our Hereford homes to join in the festivities, alongside Regional Directors Ian Taylor and Daniel Cash, and Estates Manager John Cox. Behind the scenes, the celebrations were organised and arranged by Khadijah Ahmed, Marketing Coordinator, and the wider marketing team, whose hard work made the evenings possible.

It made for a truly special series of evenings. The people who benefit most from our teams' care and dedication were there to see that dedication celebrated in person, and it gave the whole occasion a warmth that felt entirely fitting for what Ashberry is about.

Local singers and performers joined several of our celebrations, adding some wonderful live entertainment to the afternoon and helping to create a real party atmosphere. We would also like to say a particular thank you to our kitchen teams at Blaenos House and The Weir, as well as the team at Brockworth, who worked hard behind the scenes to prepare a delicious spread of food for everyone to enjoy.

‍

‍

This Year's Award Categories

‍

Alongside long service, we celebrated excellence across the workforce through a number of categories:

Core Values Award, for colleagues who consistently live our values of loyalty, integrity and compassion
Employee of the Year, recognising standout contribution over the past twelve months
Wellbeing Award, for those who champion the wellbeing of residents and colleagues alike
Dementia Awareness Award, for excellence in dementia-friendly care

This year, we also introduced a brand new category: the Above and Beyond Award. What made it especially meaningful is that nominees were chosen entirely by residents and their families, in recognition of staff whose care had made a particular impact on them personally. There is no better judge of exceptional care than the people receiving it, and this award put that recognition directly in their hands.

‍

Congratulations to This Year's Award Winners

Allt Y Mynydd

Employee of the Year Award: Mary J
Ashberry Core Values Award: Sarah P
Wellbeing Award: Tiffany J
Dementia Awareness Award: Richard BL
Above and Beyond Award: Oladele K

Blaenos House

Employee of the Year Award: Dawn R
Ashberry Core Values Award: Zoe E
Wellbeing Award: Gosia B
Dementia Awareness Award: Daria B
Above and Beyond Award: Ivy J

Brockworth House

Employee of the Year Award: Wamila U
Ashberry Core Values Award: Ifeanyi U
Wellbeing Award: Wendy W
Dementia Awareness Award: Jessica L
Above and Beyond Award: Jessica W and Shania W

Broomy Hill

Employee of the Year Award: Elina N
Ashberry Core Values Award: Ewa P
Wellbeing Award: Magdalena W
Dementia Awareness Award: Regan B
Above and Beyond Award: Eniolamide A

Engelberg

Employee of the Year Award: Jaspreet K
Ashberry Core Values Award: Juliet B
Wellbeing Award: Barkha B
Dementia Awareness Award: Tara T
Above and Beyond Award: Myfanwy T

Holmer Court

Employee of the Year Award: Sarah Q
Ashberry Core Values Award: Sneha J
Wellbeing Award: Ojoma I
Dementia Awareness Award: Jeny C
Above and Beyond Award: 'Kooky' Denise S

Meadowview

Employee of the Year Award: Martine M
Ashberry Core Values Award: Elle A
Wellbeing Award: Alison P
Dementia Awareness Award: Katie B
Above and Beyond Award: Drew CW

The Weir

Employee of the Year Award: Neethu K
Ashberry Core Values Award: (Kitchen Team) Dawn H, Zoya S, Chloe W and Beth H
Wellbeing Award: Joseph W
Dementia Awareness Award: Alice G
Above and Beyond Award: Megan B
Manager's Award: Thomas G

‍

Congratulations to every winner, and to everyone who was nominated. Your colleagues, residents and families put you forward because of the difference you make every day.

‍

‍

Recognising Long Service

‍

A significant part of each celebration was dedicated to long-service milestones, honouring colleagues who have given anywhere from 3 to over 25 years to Ashberry and the people in our care. Colleagues were recognised at 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25+ years of service, each receiving a coloured pin badge to mark their milestone. These milestones are a reminder of the loyalty and consistency that underpin good care, and we were proud to mark them properly.

Allt Y Mynydd

3 years: Rhys D, Marley D, Haroon K, Lexie H
5 years: Sian L
10 years: Keith W, Joanna P, Rachel J
15 years: Richard BL, Peter D

Blaenos House

3 years: Sandhya K, Evans O, Amy W, Sally S, Elizabeth D, Oleksandr K
5 years: Zenon O, Adrian C
10 years: Amy H, Eleanor J, Jacqueline T
15 years: Amie P, Kamila S
20 years: Danuta G
25 years: Eirwen J

Brockworth House

3 years: Anne K, Amanda S, Peris S, Adesewa O, Jessica W, Charlene G, Maria M, Aneta G, Shania W, Ursula P, Amalia P, Melissa G
5 years: Ann M, Jessica L, Michal P, Alison S, Jewel H, Rachael F, Tracy A, Nenneh J, Peter G, Samantha C, Ellisse S, Denisa P, Wendy W
10 years: Raquel Gonzalez Munoz, Vicky Barnes
15 years: Rebecca A, Yuphin S, Laszlo S, Susan J
20 years: Susan T
25 years: Johannah L

‍Broomy Hill

3 years: Kate S, Ndidi I, Sabarinath K, Jodie T, Aalila R, Janette M, Julie H, Arun P, Maria M, Elsa JoJse
5 years: Elina N, Megan W, Zofia R, Ma E
10 years: Ewa P, Marlena C
15 years: Renata C

Engelberg

3 years: Maureen P, Peta-Gaye V, Sarah W
5 years: Felicity L, Hannah A, Jade K, Sheryl S
10 years: Linda D

Holmer Court

3 years: Alphonsia K, Samantha D, Pujitha K, Ojoma I, Lucy R
10 years: Sharon M, Claire B
25 years: Beverley R

Meadowview

3 years: Karen W, Debbie C, Jeff J
5 years: Michael D, Diane M, Jayne A
10 years: Lindsay M, Jessica S

The Weir

3 years: Neethu K, Theresa B, Helen E, Zoya S, Emmanuel P
5 years: Paul D, Amy M, Dawn H, Nandi M

Head Office

3 years: Khadijah A, Hannah T
5 years: Denise L

‍

Welcoming Our Charity Partners

‍

Each of our homes has its own Charity of the Year, and this year we were delighted to welcome representatives from each of these charities to their home's celebration. It was a chance to present a ceremonial donation, hear first-hand about the work each charity does, and talk about how our homes can continue supporting them in the year ahead. It was a lovely reminder of the meaningful local connections we are building across our communities.

Our homes' Charity of the Year partners for this year's celebrations were:

Blaenos House: Llandovery Rotary Club
‍Brockworth House: Sue Ryder
Broomy Hill: Herefordshire Mind
Holmer Court: Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
Meadowview: Warrington Speak Up Still Me Dementia Project
The Weir: We Are Farming Minds

We are grateful to each of these organisations for the work they do, and we look forward to continuing to support them.

‍

*Darren Maynard from Poppy Appeal Herefordshire*

*Lisa and Jill from Warrington Speak Up*

‍

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

‍

No celebration like this comes together without generosity, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the partners and individuals who so kindly donated prizes for this year's Ashberry Awards Raffle. From hotel stays to luxury hampers, gift cards and many wonderful items in between, your donations helped make the raffle a real highlight of the evening for staff across all our homes.

Our thanks go to:

‍

‍

A Shared Celebration

‍

Your support meant that every member of our team had the chance to be recognised and rewarded for the dedication and compassion they bring to their roles every day. To everyone who took part, whether as a nominee, a guest, a charity partner or a prize donor, thank you for helping make this year's Ashberry Staff Awards such a memorable and meaningful occasion.

For a full account of each home's celebrations, including more photos from the day, check out each home's Facebook page.

‍

Written by: