Employees recognised for their outstanding contribution to - Belong

A word from the team
Janine Curwell, General Manager
for Belong Macclesfield, reflects
on a very special anniversary.
Autumn 2012 marks five years since
Belong Macclesfield opened its
doors at the start of what has been
an incredible journey. From humble
beginnings, the village community
has expanded beyond recognition.
It’s fair to say that demand for
our village model has exceeded
all expectations. Households and
apartments are full, and we have
extended our services to enable
people living at home to enjoy the
‘Belong Experience.’
Over the past two years, the Belong at
Home domiciliary service has grown
steadily and we now deliver almost
200 hours of care in the community
each week.
We also run Experience Days, giving
access to the village centre facilities
and activities, with on-site support
that offers people an alternative to
the traditional ‘day care centre.’
The work of Barbara Tait in the
Exercise Studio also deserves a special
mention; she has achieved remarkable
results in helping improve customers’
mobility, balance and strength.
These flourishing services now play a
vital role in helping us deliver on our
promise to create a vibrant village
community that is serving members
of the public as well as our ‘in-house’
customers, and also to provide ‘a
home for life’ – supporting people
throughout their journey of older age.
We look forward to continuing to do
so for many years to come.
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Rachel Ward, Care Professional of the Year,
receives her award from Des Kelly
Employees recognised
for their outstanding
contribution to Belong
For a second year running, Belong staff have
been congratulated on achieving professional
and specialist qualifications at a special awards
ceremony in Knutsford. Three individuals, and
one team, were also praised at the event for
their exceptional contributions to Belong.
This summer, members of staff from all Belong villages,
located in Atherton, Crewe, Macclesfield and Wigan,
gathered at the Mere Golf Resort & Spa in Knutsford to
celebrate achieving qualifications over the past year,
including diplomas in health & social care and leadership
& management. Individuals were congratulated and
presented with a certificate at the event by Des Kelly OBE,
Executive Director of the National Care Forum.
In addition, three individuals and one team were praised
and presented with staff awards for their outstanding
work in day-to-day Belong roles. Colleagues Rachel Ward
and Sydney Smith from Belong Macclesfield, on Kennedy
Avenue, were presented with the titles of ‘Care Professional
of the Year’ and ‘Newcomer of the Year’ respectively.
Belinda Jones, a Lead Senior Support Worker and
Dementia Trainer at Belong Crewe, on Brookhouse Drive,
was awarded ‘Coach / Mentor of the Year’, and a devoted
team of housekeepers at Belong Wigan, in Platt Bridge,
were named ‘Belong Team of the Year’ for 2012.
Those receiving staff awards were nominated by colleagues,
residents and relatives, and interviewed and assessed by
a panel of independent judges. They were rewarded with
a bottle of champagne and an engraved trophy for their
efforts, also presented by Des Kelly OBE.
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