Newcross Care Home in Wolverhampton
Company News, Newcross, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Newcross Staff Shine in Great West Midlands Care Awards

We are very proud that three of our staff at Newcross Care Home were finalists in the Great West Midlands Care Awards for 2018! This is an incredible achievement and a great opportunity for our staff to be independently recognised for all their hard work.

The Great West Midlands Care Awards are part of the Great British Care Awards, a series of nine regional awards which celebrate excellence in care across the UK. The awards promote best practice whilst commending those who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional care within care homes and home care. The glittering award ceremony saw over 500 of the best in social care arrive at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham in November 2018, where our three finalists were commended for their work.

Our three outstanding staff and their nominated awards were:

Judith Powell, finalist for The Care Home Cook/Chef Award

Elizabeth Whitehouse, finalist for Carer Home Worker Award

Earl Edwards, winner of The Care Home Newcomer Award

Our Home Manager, Bev Aldridge, was ecstatic at the recognition for her hardworking team. She shared with us a little more about these three staff and why they were nominated.

Judith has worked at the home for several years, always providing quality food and ensuring residents are fully involved in menu planning and taking on board their comments. Her natural talent has been recognised at Avery and she now also has a support role helping new chefs in other care homes to settle into their role.

Elizabeth is an exceptionally hard-working carer. She began as an apprentice at Newcross, before moving up to a full-time care position. She was recently very pleased to win the ‘Outstanding Achiever Award’ at Qube Learning’s 2017 ‘Inspirational Learning’ awards.

Earl started at the home in 2018 and took to care immediately. He is popular amongst residents, families and staff alike for his caring personality and ability to make everyone smile. He regularly goes the extra mile for residents, even volunteering to take them on day trips on his days off. In Earl’s spare time, he fundraises for local charities, having raised over £40,000! This began when Earl started hosting boxing classes in order to help young boys stay off the streets and quickly escalated thanks to his passion and drive. Earl is very well known in Wolverhampton and has also completed eight London marathons.

Earl Edwards winner Newcross Great West Midlands Care Awards

Earl was not only a finalist but the overall winner of The Care Home Newcomer Award. The judges said that Earl clearly “has a passion for caring for staff, residents and families” and is “a true entertainer”. They continued, saying that Earl is “such an inspiring character – we as judges can feel the love and care he ‘oozes’, [with] such a positive outlook on life – nothing is too much trouble! This man has passion and dedication and will go far.”

Bev sent in Earl’s nomination, saying “He always goes the extra mile. Nothing is too much trouble and he has such a bubbly, happy personality. We are all very proud of Earl’s achievements and for being an outright winner.” Earl now goes forward to the Great British Care Awards finals, along with Home Manager Mark Bird, at Birmingham’s ICC on 8th March 2019 and we wish him the best of luck!

A huge congratulations to Judith, Elizabeth and Earl once again on being finalists. We’re incredibly thankful to have you as part of our Newcross family and can’t wait to what you get up to next.