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Runwood Homes - 2019 Conference Round Up

Runwood Homes hosted their Annual Conference and celebrated a year of success.

The Annual Conference took place on Friday 15 November at The Grove Hotel in Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire, and showcased the great business news achieved over past six months, some amazing guest speakers and well deserved awards were presented.

Our first speaker up on stage was our COO, Gavin O’Hare-Connolly, who provided an operational overview of the past year and his expectations for the year ahead. Gavin highlighted new talent recruited, improved regulatory ratings, a proactive attitude regarding compliance, avoiding complacency, celebrating diversity and the LGBT+ community, supporting each other, and current and future initiatives for the wellbeing of residents, as well as a streamlined governance plan for the next 12 months.

Following on from Gavin, Sarah Sanders, Business Operations Director, provided a monthly overview of the progression of the Wellbeing strategy over the past year, highlighting the key activities, personal, regional and national celebrations and successful initiatives involving residents, staff and people in the wider communities.

Helen Cottee, long serving Home Manager of Longview care home on Canvey Island, and Stafford Hall care home in South Benfleet, was presented with a beautiful arrangement of flowers to honour her service. We wish Helen all the best in her retirement and thank Helen for her dedication over the years she has been with Runwood Homes.

Paul Gaskell, Director of Wellbeing and Dementia Care, then shared the overall aim of the Wellbeing Lead, the activities and quality of life role in each of our homes; For residents to enjoy talking, laughing, smiling, being kind, looking out for others, being active, engaged and interested in life around them. Paul presented some examples of residents, and staff, comments and stories to showcase the innovation of choice and inclusion for all in our homes.

In addition to Paul’s wonderful presentation, Kieun Kwon, Associate Director of Wellbeing and Dementia Care, spoke about encouraging social prescribing; GP’s, nurses and healthcare professionals referring people to local, non-clinical services to benefit their wellbeing. Social prescribing is something that the Runwood Homes’ Wellbeing and Dementia Services Team relies on when looking after residents’ individual needs and wishes; a very important ingredient in the overall care of residents. Kieun shared tangible evidence, including some really heart-warming, uplifting video footage, on how we are using the idea of social prescribing for our residents.

To celebrate the hard work of our Home Managers and team members, Sue Smith, Director of Marketing and Customer Care, gave thanks to all that keep the cogs in our homes churning, and most importantly, the care of our residents. Sue presented incentive awards to homes who have achieved consistently high occupancy figures in the past 12 months.

High Occupancy Achievement 2019 Awarded to:

Broomhills – Leigh Ann Cowling
Crowstone House – Ajam Karim
Frank Foster House – Cheryl Wright
Highview Lodge – Tracey Axten
Kathryn Court – Donna Winterborne
Wisden Court – Tracey Fletcher
Bennett Lodge – Rona Johnson
Brewster House – Rose Navarro
Carolyne House – Abdul Chirwa
Loganberry Lodge – Nikki Totton
Madelayne Court – Erin Ruck
Park View – Lee Evans
The Whitecroft – Denise White
Longview – Laura Glyde
The Grange – Kerry Coates
Woodbury Court – Mel Oliver
Low Furlong – Amanda Leitch
Park View Warks – Denise Clark
Leawood Manor – Zimran Alam
Alexandra House – Jade Shea
Humfrey Lodge – Georgina Braithwaite
The Mill House – Alison Lawrence
Windmill House – Julie Aldred
Kintullagh House – Julie Ann Jamieson
Madelayne Court – Mabel Cole
Magherafelt Manor – Siobhan Conway
Orchard Lodge – Leanne McGaffin
Willow Grove – Michelle Devlin

Our first guest keynote speaker of the day was record-breaking, international Paralympic medal winner, Marc Woods. Marc enthusiastically described how he has faced some difficult challenges and made tough decisions during his life, and his career, but has remained positive and resilient throughout, encouraging our Home Managers to find the similarities or parallels that they might come up against in their role.

Our second guest keynote speaker was Cally Beaton, a successful business woman, who’s transitioned and grown into many challenging roles, including stand up comedy. Cally brought an exciting message about grabbing opportunities, embracing change, and celebrating possibilities and our differences. Her concentration on people and being yourself, for all your qualities, skills and ideas, was absolutely inspiring.

We are proud to announce that Runwood Homes are partnering with Pride in Care to gain the Pride in Care accreditation across our group of care homes. Jim Glennon, from Opening Doors London, the parent organisation of the Pride in Care initiative, spoke to us at the conference, sharing details of our aim to be the first large care home group to reach the highest standard of care and support for older LGBT+ people.

The anticipated announcement of which care home won our annual Breath of Fresh Air Competition, The Pumpkin Frenzy, was revealed at the conference.

The Pumpkin Frenzy Competition winners:

Heaviest Pumpkin Winner - Crowstone House
Runner Up Jack-o-Lantern Design - Weavers House
Winner of Jack-o-Lantern Design - Leawood Manor

To close off the day, a wonderful run of well deserved awards were presented to our fantastic, hard working team members, of which, the full list of Finalists and Winners can be found below. Thank you to all of our Managers, Directors and Executive Team who joined us for our Annual Conference, and for your continued commitment to enriching and caring for the lives of our residents.

The 2019 Runwood Homes Awards presented at the conference:

Team of the Year Award - Zimran Alam and Team, Leawood Manor
Rising Star Award - Leanne McGaffin
Rising Star Award - Leanne Braham (Low Furlong)
Community Engagement Award - Windmill House
Outstanding Environment Award - Bramwell
Outstanding Chef Award - Brian White (Clifton)
Outstanding Chef Award - Sarita Harris (Park View Warwick)
Outstanding Wellbeing Lead Award - Sarah Fardy (Low Furlong)
Outstanding Nurse Award - Ildiko Tokes (Clifton)
Finalist Outstanding Residential Services Manager Award - Donna Winterborne
Outstanding Residential Services Manager Award - Julie Aldred, Windmill House
Outstanding Nursing Home Manager Award - Michelle Devlin
Outstanding Residential Care Home Award - Bramwell
Outstanding Residential Care Home Award - Caldwell Grange
Finalist Nursing Home Award - Magherafelt Manor
Outstanding Nursing Home Award - Madelayne Court - NI
Outstanding Rose Award - Crowstone House
Outstanding Rose Award - Frank Foster House
Outstanding Rose Award - Woodbury Court
Outstanding Rose Award - Windmill House
Finalist Carer of the Year Award - Anna Causova (Kathryn Court)
Finalist Carer of the Year Award - John Smith (Waterfield House)
Carer of the Year Award Winner - Helen Boffin (Caldwell Grange)
COO Award - Alison Lawrence, St Michaels Court
CEO Award - Zimran Alam, Leawoood Manor

Please see our gallery of conference photographs below:

Gavin O'Hare-Connolly, Runwood Homes' COO, starting the conference by outlining future goals.

Gavin O'Hare-Connolly, Runwood Homes' COO, starting the conference by outlining future goals.

Sarah Sanders providing some heartwarming examples of making resident's wishes come true.

Sarah Sanders providing some heartwarming examples of making resident's wishes come true.

Wishing our dedicated Home Manager, Helen Cottee a very happy retirement.

Wishing our dedicated Home Manager, Helen Cottee a very happy retirement.

Paul Gaskell captures his audience with an insightful presentation about wellbeing and dementia care.

Paul Gaskell captures his audience with an insightful presentation about wellbeing and dementia care.

Crowstone House's Home Manager, Ajam Karin, collects the award for heaviest pumpkin.

Crowstone House's Home Manager, Ajam Karin, collects the award for heaviest pumpkin.

Zimran Alam, Home Manager of Leawood Manor, collects the award for best Jack-O-Lantern design.

Zimran Alam, Home Manager of Leawood Manor, collects the award for best Jack-O-Lantern design.

Kieun Kwon talks about social prescribing, key for the wellbeing of our residents.

Kieun Kwon talks about social prescribing, key for the wellbeing of our residents.

Kieun Kwon talks about social prescribing, key for the wellbeing of our residents.