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Fantastic support recognised in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire care awards

Neil at a charity walk with a gentleman he supports

Hot on the heels of Brandon teams attending the national finals of the Great British Care Awards earlier this month, we’re thrilled to announce more award nominations.

Support worker, Neil Hames, was nominated recently for the Proud to Care Awards in Wiltshire, by his manager Gavin:

“I nominated Neil for the Supported Living Front Line Worker Award. He’s a fantastic support worker and is always going the extra mile. He’s incredibly person-centred and is constantly looking for new ways to improve people’s quality of life.

“He’s raised hundreds of pounds for charity by doing fancy dress walks with people he supports, and he didn’t bat an eye when they asked him to do it dressed as a clown or a donkey! He’s also worked incredibly hard to introduce someone with challenging behaviour to yoga, which they really seem to enjoy.

“Neil is a huge asset to his team and colleagues too. He’s often the go-to person for mentoring and supporting new staff and is always welcoming and inclusive.”

When Neil found out he’d been shortlisted in the final three in his category, he was blown away:

“… I was immensely proud. As I’ve only been working in care for four years I still feel I have lots to learn. Thankfully, I have lots of good people around me who are encouraging and supportive.

“Being shortlisted like this is a recognition that positive support has benefits both for the people we support, and the people providing it. Good support work should be about enabling and empowering. Being recognised for this makes me feel proud in what I have achieved and, more importantly, how I have achieved it.”

Brandon as an organisation has also been shortlisted, for Care Employer of the Year in the Oxfordshire Social Care Awards. This award acknowledges and celebrates an employer's commitment to care and delivering excellent service.

Area manager for Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire, Abby Rees, told us what being shortlisted means to her:

“It makes me feel extremely proud of the great teams and individuals that I have the pleasure to work alongside. They all demonstrate a huge commitment to the people we support and Brandon as a whole, day in, day out, and these awards are a great recognition of this.”

Winners of the Oxfordshire Social Care Awards will be announced on Friday 22 March, and the Proud to Care Awards in Wiltshire will be announced on Thursday 4 April. Best of luck Neil and fingers crossed!

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