Winners announced at Black Swan Care Awards 2026

The dedication and commitment of our staff from Black Swan Care Group has been recognised at our latest awards ceremony.

The Black Swan Care Awards took place on Thursday 15th October at Carrow Road stadium, Norwich, where nearly 300 people gathered to hear stories of outstanding care and support to the residents of the care company’s 24 care homes across East Anglia.

Winners were announced in 16 separate categories including care, activities, catering, maintenance, domestic, community engagement, resident and relatives' choice, leadership and making wishes possible.  In total, over 1,800 nominations were received from staff, colleagues, residents, their friends and families and professionals who visit the care homes.

The guests were welcomed at a drinks reception before enjoying a three-course meal. This was followed by the announcement of the winners and an after party. Founders and company directors Brett Burton and Clive Hill highlighted the Group’s achievements including glowing Care Quality Commission and local authority inspection reports, awards from independent reviews and feedback from contented families and professional visitors. This was followed by the announcement of the winners and an after party.

Black Swan Care Group has grown from the first care home purchase in 1994 of Nightingale Lodge in Hunstanton in West Norfolk to the present day with the care group’s 24 care homes providing short-term, respite care and longer term support to nearly 800 people across East Anglia, including adults with physical or learning disabilities and older people, including  support for people living with dementia. In total, they employ nearly 1000 staff in care, domestic, catering, administration and management roles.

Managing Director Tom Lyons, who introduced the night, expressed his delight and thanks to the teams: "I'm truly humbled and grateful to all of our staff. Having 300 people from all our homes in one room and hearing stories of the best of the best of our teams was wonderful. It was a real pleasure to listen to and recognise the fantastic work they do every day and night in our homes.

"Choosing winners is such a difficult job when we see nominations of kindness, caring, support and compassion towards our residents, their families and communities. I'm immensely proud of every single one of them."

The winners of the categories were presented with a uniquely designed trophy from the company directors and representatives from companies associated with Black Swan.

The winners were:

• New to Care Award, sponsored by Pepperell’s Meats: Jennie de Jesus, Park House care home, Great Yarmouth.
• Domestic Award, sponsored by Newline: Liz Hayden, Valentine House care home, Silver End, Essex.
• Catering Award, sponsored by Thomas Ridley: Heath Brown, The Gables, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.
• Outstanding Support of Our Care Homes Award, sponsored by Grant Thornton: Rhys Burford, Digital Project Officer, Head Office, Norwich.
• Mentor Award, sponsored by Netmatters: Rachel Roberts, Laurel Lodge care home, Norwich.
• Maintenance Award, sponsored by Beaucare: Jon Ridgway, Beccles care home, Suffolk.
• Excellence in a Care Role Award, sponsored by Alan Boswell Group: Kebba Cham, Southwell Court, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.
• Outstanding Support for Homes at Night Award, sponsored by Accent Fresh: Mercy Melly, Chiswick House, Norwich.
• Outstanding Dementia Care Support Award, sponsored by Furncare: Faith Jezeph, Nightingale Lodge care home, Hunstanton.
• Activities Award, sponsored by Birketts: Myra Cabacungan, The Lodge care home, Walton on the Naze, Essex.
• Family & Community Engagement Award, sponsored by Pink Group: Jo Taylor, Kings Lynn Residential care home, Norfolk.
• Making Wishes Possible Award, sponsored by Sharecare: Gabby Magee, Heathcote care home, Norwich.
• Motivational Leadership Award, sponsored by Lovewell Blake: Lisa King, Southwell Court, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.
• Residents’ and relatives’ Choice Award, sponsored by NatWest: Mariana Soare, York House care home, Dereham, Norfolk.
• Always Smiling and Positive Attitude Award, sponsored by Alliance East Anglia: Remees Kolappurath, Thomas Tawell House, Norwich.
• Outstanding Contribution, sponsored by Comserve: Sharon Haynes, Head Office Manager, Norwich, Norfolk.