Earlier this year, staff at Cornwall Care’s site at Penberthy in Newquay received a prestigious award from CAHSC, recognising them as the Best Home Care Team of 2022 in the county of Cornwall.
Cornwall Care is the largest provider of adult social care in Cornwall and one of the county’s biggest employers, supporting over 1,500 jobs across multiple care settings.
CAHSC is a charity based in Falmouth that is seeking to develop and grow the adult social care workforce across the counties of Devon and Cornwall and having shortlisted the Penberthy-based team as finalists in the 2022 Care and Support Awards, it would prove to be them who came out on top. Cornwall Care’s Penberthy team were duly named winners at this year’s Care and Support Awards gala, held at Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives.
The nomination came after the Penberthy staff organised a surprise reunion for local couple, Jean and David Hill, who had been married for 66 years.
David was the main carer of his wife, but soon required care himself after developing dementia. When David was relocated to Penberthy, the staff there were able to facilitate the transfer of Jean so that she would be able to join him.
Initially, Jean was required to remain in isolation due to Covid restrictions, but Penberthy staff organised the surprise reunion for David once her isolation period was up.
Penberthy manager, Sue Aldridge, commented: “Jean moved in but had to remain in isolation for a while because of Covid precautions. We didn’t want to tell David what was happening until she could be with him properly, so it was a real surprise when he walked into his room and found his wife sitting there.
“The whole Penberthy team worked hard to organise it all and I can honestly say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when everything came together and the couple were reunited.
“Nothing is too much trouble for the staff here. They really do care and will always go the extra mile.”
Cornwall Care CEO, Anne Thomas, was brimming with pride at the Penberthy team’s incredible gesture, and the fact it was recognised with the award.
Thomas said: “I am so proud of Sue Aldridge and her team. They represent what excellence in adult social care means and I congratulate them wholeheartedly on this well-deserved recognition.
“The enormous challenges of the last two years make moments like Jean and David’s Penberthy reunion even more wonderful. Our carers care – in every sense of the word.”
