Colten Care has seen off the challenge of competitor groups from across the country to scoop a prestigious National Care Award.

Colten Care was one of 11 finalists in the category of Care Home Group (Medium), for groups with between 20 and 40 homes.

Judges praised the family-owned provider, which runs 21 homes in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and West Sussex, for its ‘one team’ ethos, professional nursing credentials and commitment to creating ‘personalised experiences tailored to each resident’s needs and preferences’.

The award submission explained how all Colten homes are purpose-built by sister company Colten Developments, promote ‘refined living’ through elegant interiors and inspiring gardens, and strive to ensure residents ‘feel at home and connected’.

Colten Care Chief Executive Mark Aitchison said: “The award win is truly an amazing achievement, testimony to the dedicated, passionate, caring people we have throughout Colten.

“This success demonstrates independent recognition of our culture of consistent clinical excellence, with seven homes rated Outstanding by the CQC and the remainder Good, and the thousands of reviews on Carehome.co.uk that inform our remarkable group rating of 9.9 out of ten.”

Paying tribute to company founders John Colwell and Adrian Otten, Mark added: “It was their vision to define Colten as the best that has enabled us to make this award win possible, best in Britain for our size.”

Elaine Farrer, Chief Operating Officer, said: “It was moment of immense pride to hear our name read out as the winner on the night. All of us are profoundly heartened to receive this further endorsement of our ‘All About Me’ care philosophy that focuses on what residents can do, not only what they need support with. This empowers choice, nurtures independence and enables purposeful lives.”

As well as the group-wide win, four Colten Care colleagues were finalists in separate individual categories.

They were: Martin Corrigan, Home Manager at The Aldbury in Poole, for the Dementia Home Manager award; Angela Dibble, Group Housekeeper, for Care Housekeeper; Daniela Buzatu, Senior Nurse at Belmore Lodge in Lymington, for Care Registered Nurse; and Jackie Cash, Home Manager at Braemar Lodge in Salisbury, for Home Manager.

While this was the first year Colten Care has won a company award at the National Care Awards, Lorna Parsons, then a Chef at the provider’s Bourne View in Poole, was named Chef of the Year at the 2022 awards. Lorna has since been promoted to group-wide Development Chef.

More than 150 team members from Colten Care came together to honour the nominees, finalists and winners of its annual in-house staff awards.

Individuals, teams, homes and departments were all recognised as this year’s Colten Champions culminated in a glittering black-tie evening and awards ceremony at Bournemouth’s Highcliff Marriott Hotel.

Award categories reflected all aspects of the care mix including nursing and caring excellence, teamwork and customer service.

Colten Care’s Salisbury home Braemar Lodge was named the overall Home Team of the Year, with one of its many nominations reading: ‘A home that has worked tirelessly as a team, overcoming every challenge while always keeping residents at the heart of everything they do.”

It was also a successful night for Newstone House, Colten Care’s home in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, which offers both professional nursing and dedicated dementia care.

Kate Seck and Shelby A’Court, joint Companionship Team Leaders at the home, picked up the awards for Resident & Relative Choice and Newcomer respectively while Chef Jack Wood won the Resident Impact title.

They and Newstone House colleagues also landed the Home Team of the Year award for Colten’s East and West homes’ cluster.

Asked how she felt when her name was read out for winning her individual award, Kate said: “I felt really grateful. The fact that it was voted for by residents and relatives made it very special. I’m delighted that Newstone House did so amazingly well, with a number of finalist places. We are all proud of the home. It was a great night.”

The awards ceremony was hosted by Colten Care Directors Mark Aitchison, Elaine Farrer, Rick Otten and George Colwell.

Chief Executive Mark said: “Colten Champions is an ideal, stand-out way to celebrate the hard work our team members do so amazingly well on behalf of our residents every single day. The pride and passion of colleagues who put each individual resident at the very heart of all they do is truly inspiring.  I thank everyone who put in a nomination and of course congratulate all the winners, finalists and nominees.”

A Values award, designed to recognise an individual who exemplifies Colten’s company values of being friendly, kind, individual, reassuring and honest, was won by Tracy McCallum, Customer Support Advisor at Kingfishers in New Milton, Hampshire.

Other winners included Daniela Buzatu, Senior Nurse at Belmore Lodge in Lymington, for Nursing Excellence, and Levente Varga, Senior Care Lead at Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst, for Caring Excellence.

There were two awards celebrated at The Aldbury in Poole. Colleagues picked up the title of Home Team of the Year for Colten’s Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole cluster, while the home’s Senior Administrator David Austin took the award for Warm Welcome.

After the ceremony, guests took to the dance floor and enjoyed live music courtesy of Sing Out Sisters and We Are Robot.