The Akari North East Regional Care Team: National Champions!!

The Akari North East Regional Care Team has won top spot at the Great British National Care awards.

The team won the regional final In December 2016, and moved forward to the national finals.  Following a stringent interview in Birmingham in February, the team attended the final on the 31st of March at the ICC Birmingham: a gala ceremony with nine teams present from across the country.

Finally, the suspense was over, and the winning team was announced as Akari!  To add extra glamour to the occasion, Martin Kemp presented the awards.  But there was more to come!  Paul Saper of sponsors LCS revealed that an invitation had been extended for the winning team to visit the House of Lords. 

Regional Manager Louise Spoors said, ‘It has been a genuine pleasure and delight to lead a team of the most enthusiastic, upbeat, professional and dedicated managers.  They are wholly committed to ensuring the people in our care have the very best we can provide in all aspects of their lives.  And now we really can say that the way we look after our residents is an example of best practice.  It’s official!’

The Akari Regional Team consisted of Regional Manager Louise Spoors and Home Managers Lisa Stephenson (Wordsworth House), Heather Knowles-Sinclair (St Marks), Kevin Mulvey (Hillfield), Karen Taylor-Williams (Park House), Ann Mielnik (Bridge View), Karleen Taylor-Williams (Phillips Court) and Jane Mack (Aycliffe).