Hartford Care celebrates colleagues at our 2026 awards ceremony

We recently recognised the dedication and achievements of colleagues from our care homes across England and Wales at our annual awards ceremony.

Team members from Hartford Care homes and our Basingstoke-based central support office came together at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton to celebrate the people who make a difference to residents every day.

The annual awards highlight the compassion, professionalism and expertise shown by our teams across a wide range of roles, from care and nursing to catering, estates management and resident activities.

Celebrating the people behind great care

What makes our awards evening particularly meaningful is that winners are nominated by those who see their work first-hand.

Residents, family members, visitors and colleagues across our homes were invited to submit nominations and share their experiences of team members who go above and beyond. Once all nominations were collected, our directors reviewed the entries and selected the winners from the many heartfelt comments received.

Hartford Care 2026 award winners

The winners of this year’s awards are:

• Ancillary Person of the Year: Lisa Russell, Island Court
• Carer of the Year: Martina Cozens, Bethel House
• Chef of the Year: Janis Mateo, Burnham Lodge
• Dedication to Care: Ireena Vuetibureta, West Cliff Hall
• Senior/Nurse of the Year: Effort Rumbie Mazvidza, The Elms
• Support Person of the Year: Fiona Benevento, Stokeleigh
• Best Newcomer of the Year: Mia Unadkat, Central Support
• Employee of the Year: Dufie Mmieh, Hawkhurst House
• Caring for Each Other Award: Aneesh Nair, Inver House
• Creating Communities Award: Lucy Vaughan, Alton Place
• Celebrating Individuality Award: Dufie Mmieh, Hawkhurst House

Recognising dedication across our homes

Kevin Shaw, CEO of Hartford Care, said:

“The whole day was a great success, and I am particularly proud of all our award winners. Hearing the nomination comments from residents, their families and our own team members really shows the dedication and compassion of our people across all our homes.”

The annual ceremony is an opportunity for us to recognise the commitment and kindness shown by colleagues who help create supportive, welcoming communities for residents and their families.