On the 9th October, we brought together over 100 colleagues and people we support to hold our annual Celebration Day, recognising and rewarding people who have achieved qualifications, gone the extra mile, and committed huge parts of their life to our charity.

The event, which was held at Bestwood Lodge in Nottingham, was a true celebration of all the things that make social care great; highlighting personal growth, development and the highest quality support that has changed people’s lives.

The awards

Qualifications – We’re so proud that a significant number of our colleagues commit each year to their development. We work with our partner, Realise, to provide qualifications that further the learning, knowledge and skills of our colleagues. This year we saw 10 United Response staff complete NVQ Levels 3, 4 and 5 social care delivery and management courses.

As Learning and Development Manager, Simon Trundle, said “Completing any of these courses alongside a full-time role is no mean feat. It takes commitment, dedication and passion to achieve these qualifications and it makes us so proud of the people here today.”

Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care: Abigail Waddicor, Funmilayo Sokale, Natalie Martin, Patience Agboola, Vivian Addo, Zerka Afzal.

Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker: Carmine Branco, Sandra Hollingworth.

Level 4 Lead Practitioner in Adult Care: Sarah Fox.

Level 5 Leader in Adult Care: Cheryl Platts.

PBS Awards: Connor Fisher, Danielle Smith, Jackie McKinney.

Long-service awards – There are a huge number of people who have been part of United Response for a large part of their life. People sharing our vision and values and wanting our charity to play a key role in their life is an honour that is worthy of proper recognition. At the event, we gave awards to people who have supported United Response for 20, 25 and even 30 years.

20 years: Jennifer Flindall, Nabil Barsoum, Sue Bamforth.

25 years: Andy Carless, Lorraine Warren, Millicent Williams.

30 years: Sarah Wafforn.

UR Stars – Our continual exceptional service awards programme uses a peer nomination process to shine a light on people who have gone over and above in their role to make a real difference. This could be improving how we work, increasing accessibility and inclusion, supporting people to achieve amazing things, and in some cases even saving lives.

Individual winners: Abiodun Adewusi, Anna Carter, Ashlee Okojibe, Caroline Morgan, Cheryl Platts, David Brimner, Deborah Lee, Funmilayo Sokale, Gemma Woodward, Ian Lister, Lena Caitlin, Mell Augustine, Nargas Hussain, Olivie Briggs, Stacey Nave, Steph Southall, Tammy Chapman.

Joint winners: Alison Seed & Louise Richardson, Anita Line & Cheryl Cooper.

Team winners: Borough Road team, Cherry Court team, Huntington Road team, Brook Street team, People Business Partners, Ransom Road team, Rowan House team, Victoria Inn team, Westway team.

The entertainment

No party is complete without world class entertainment, and our event was no different. We were fortunate to have the United Voice Choir, a 30 strong choir of people we support in the East Midlands, who performed a full set of songs including Angels by Robbie Williams, Any Dream Will Do from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and a rousing I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers, which had the whole room on their feet and singing along.  

We’d also like to say thank you to Gary, Jason, Paul and Josh, United Response Co-Trainers who supported the event and gave insightful presentations on the importance of lived experience, the difference a consistent team makes, and what going the extra mile looks like.

An incredible day

Taking the time to recognise achievements is an essential part of our approach. Our core value of being United is what gives strength and passion to both our United Response community, and the local communities we serve.

Director of People and Inclusion, Jennifer Tremewan, said: “It was truly overwhelming to see so many people come together to celebrate their love and dedication for their roles and the people we support. Whether it was recognising long service, collecting a UR Star, or striving to be the best they can be through their qualifications, the commitment and passion on display were unwavering.

“Equally moving was seeing the people we support, along with our co-trainers, contribute to the day and share their stories. Their involvement made the event deeply meaningful and impactful.

“And of course, the choir’s performance was absolutely tremendous – I honestly felt a bit like Simon Cowell when he first saw One Direction!

“Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a special and memorable day.”

We’d like to say a huge congratulations to all those recognised on the day, and our staff teams across the country for delivering the very best support year-round.

If you’re considering a role in social care, visit Home – United Response Jobs to find out about all our current vacancies.