30th September 2025
The fantastic care provided by Trust Home Care Assistants to thousands of people has been recognised along with back office staff at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Home Care Awards.
Staff from right across the Trust’s three home care teams – Armagh and Dungannon, Craigavon and Banbridge and Newry and Mourne, and the Out of Hours team – came together for a special afternoon, to celebrate the difference they make to the lives of the 2,236 services users.
The ceremony opened by Eileen Mullen, Trust Chair and attended by Rita Fitzgerald TV presenter, saw a number of winners and runner-up awards presented across eight different categories. Several staff also received special recognition for their commitment and efforts over the past year.
Guests were entertained by music from adults with learning disabilities who attend the Arc day opportunities service, Ronnie Cartwright Trust Home Care Manager and service user Amy Thompson.
Teresa Stewart, spoke to the audience about her experience of receiving home care and also shared some tips around self-care from her own background in coaching.
The round up of awards:
Saving Lives and Bravery:
Runners up were Shirley Taylor and Patricia Farrell, Newry and Mourne, Melissa Newell and Ann Marie Hanna, Armagh and Dungannon. The winner Joanne Brunt, from Armagh and Dungannon received the award for showing great compassion and bravery, by comforting service users at a very traumatic time.
Above and Beyond
Runners up were Elizabeth Knipe, Armagh and Dungannon, Caroline Williams, Newry and Mourne.
The winner Hilary Outhwaite from Craigavon and Banbridge, received the award for her energy, dedication, work ethic and treating service users like family.
The Joy Maker
Runners up were Greg Tumilty and Jennifer Harper both Newry and Mourne and the winner was Kelly Flannery, Craigavon and Banbridge for being an absolute ray of sunshine, always spreading happiness amongst colleagues and service users.
Awesome Administrator
Runners up were Andrea Bell, Craigavon and Banbridge and Clare Carson, Newry and Mourne.
The winner Alison Henry was awarded for always thinking quickly, coming up with solutions and being kind and helpful to others.
Compassionate Care
Runners up were Agnieszka Walda and Nayden Hristov, both Armagh and Dungannon. The winner Grace Hanna, Craigavon and Banbridge received the award was described as ‘Graceful Grace, with compassion that would overflow a room.
Inspirational Mentor
Runners up are Helen Hoy, Senior Medicine Management Nurse and Martina Mallon, Armagh and Dungannon. The winner Lisa Hinds, Craigavon and Banbridge was described as full of knowledge about everything and anything and goes above and beyond to ensure the highest standards are met.
Inspirational Home Care Supervisor
Runners up are Michelle Murray and Lesa McCrory, Craigavon and Banbridge. Linda Chapman, Newry and Mourne won because she is a true carer, who leads with positivity and support. Linda helps everyone and will always lend a hand and chip in.
Team Award
Runners up were the Tandragee Home Care Team and the Out of Hours Trust Home Care Team. The Lurgan Team won the award for the second year. They were described as looking after their clients like their own family members and a really great bunch who put 100% into everything they do for the community.
This year Special Recognition awards went to colleagues nominated by management for their enthusiasm and endeavours throughout the roll out of a new digital Home care system and encompass. Recognition winners who went above and beyond to help train and support staff with a smile were: Matthew McConaghy, Digital Project, Administrator Keith Foy, Administrator Newry and Mourne, Niall Cunningham, Home Care Monitoring Officer, Emma Neill, Home Care Monitoring Officer and Deborah Browne, Care Bureau administrator.
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Awards were given to the two longest servicing colleagues also on the day, Edna Cunningham with 48 years’ service and Molly McCann who has 47 years’ service, both from the Armagh and Dungannon team.
There are around 1,100 domiciliary care workers across the Southern Trust. Commending all of his home care colleagues, Mr Brian Beattie, Director of Adult Community Services, said:
“We are delighted to host this very special event to celebrate the amazing professional service that our team offer to service users and families all year round.
“The awards today are a lovely reminder of just how remarkable our carers are, demonstrating bravery, compassion, inspiring others and spreading joy to some of the most vulnerable, often in difficult, sensitive circumstances.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate our runners-up and winners but also pay tribute to every single home care assistants across the entire Southern area, who every day goes above and beyond, helping people to live in their own homes, where they want to be, as part of their own community.”