Award nod for local care hero

Ellie, 21, was selected from over 10,000 Bluebird Care staff across the UK and Ireland as a finalist for the prestigious award, hosted at the world-famous Fortnum & Mason Department Store in London. 

Speaking to the panel of expert judges on the day, Ellie shared that she left her job as a retail assistant in Primark after school to take up a career that would allow her to feel a sense of reward.

Her positivity and kindness was praised by the judges, who heard that Ellie has made a huge difference to the life of one of her customers. By listening to her and building a relationship with her and her family, Ellie was able to motivate her to become more confident and self-reliant without her feeling that she had her independence taken away from her with the addition of support at home.

Each nominee for the Bluebird Care Awards had been shortlisted from hundreds of applicants down to five finalists in three categories: Care Expert of the Year, Team Member of the Year and Registered Manager of the Year.  

All 15 nominees had been invited to Fortnum & Mason in London for afternoon tea to celebrate their achievements and to meet with the judging panel to discuss their exceptional work in more detail, where a winner in each category was determined. This included hearing first-hand the impact each exceptional nominee has had on those in care, their colleagues and their local communities.  

The judging panel, made up of experts from across the sector, included: Gemma Lloyd Editor of Home Care Insight Magazine, Neil Browning, Head of Risk and Governance at HSBC and Jane Townson, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association.  

Ellie Hayes, Bluebird Care Milton Keynes, said:  

"Being a finalist in the 2023 Bluebird Care Awards still doesn’t feel real. It is very, very special to me. The trophy and certificate are proudly displayed on the windowsill in my bedroom. My family is so proud of me too which feels great.

I enjoy being able to put a smile on other people’s faces. Doing personal care, tidying up the home environment, or just making a cup of tea are all important parts of my job that can make a big difference to a person’s life. But working in care also has a huge positive impact on my life, too. It’s great to be able to meet so many different new people and hear their stories and life experiences. I’ve learned so much.

This award nomination is amazing and I was so honoured that my team put me forward for it. At age 21 it’s nice to see how far I’ve come, and it’s just proof that joining Bluebird Care was the right decision.”

Catherine Slater, Director of Bluebird Care Milton Keynes, said:  

“Ellie is such a positive force for good, and we are so proud that she was chosen out of thousands to be a top five finalist in this year’s awards ceremony. Ellie has just been promoted to Senior Carer which is hugely well deserved, and we can’t wait to see just how far she will go in her career in care. She’s a true natural and an asset to our Bluebird Care team.”