Following a competition recognising excellence in the home care sector

The five, all from Disraeli Road company Managing Care, were honoured at the Great London Care Awards gala dinner and presentation evening at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in Central London on Saturday.

Kim van Dongen, co-founder and director of Managing Care, said: “We had a wonderful evening. It was great to celebrate the hard work that these five – and so many other workers in the care industry – have put in.”

Managing Care specialises in providing high quality and affordable care services for people in their own home, ranging from dementia care, personal care, home help and companionship, to 24-hour live-in care. 

The staff nominated for awards were: senior carer Valeria Dobrea in the Home Care Worker of the Year category; carer Rose Kanwi in the Care Newcomer category; senior carer Cecilia Maioli, who was shortlisted for the Dignity in Care Award; senior carer Stephen Burke, nominated in the Dementia Care Award category; and care coordinator Kirsty Whitworth, who was in the running for the Care Coordinator of the Year prize.

Mum of three Rose, from South-East London, said: “I've only been working with Managing Care since July 2012, so it was lovely to be up for an award. I really enjoy my role as a carer. I love putting a smile on people’s faces.”

Twenty-six-year-old Stephen, from Brentford, said he loved working for Managing Care and has a passion for mental health care.

Cecilia, from North-West London, commented: “I’m just happiest when I’m helping people. I think that building relationships is really important when you are providing care, but most of all you need love and patience.”

And her views were echoed by live-in carer Valeria, who said she felt rewarded simply by being able to make a difference to people’s lives.

Kirsty Whitworth, who lives in Putney, joined Managing Care after a number of years working in retail. She said: “I feel I’ve been able to use my customer service knowledge in my work as care coordinator. What I really enjoy is being able to talk with our carers and clients every day and get to know them personally.”

Kim van Dongen founded Managing Care with co-director Esther Pfeiffer four and a half years ago after several years in investment banking. Dutch by birth, she has worked in the Netherlands, Paris and London, but felt she wanted to do something more fulfilling with her life.

“I worked in home care when I was a student, and I come from a family who work in the care sector, so this was a logical step when I decided to move out of banking. Esther and I have set up a care business which listens to its clients, and wants to give them choice in how they are cared for.

“One of the most important things is to recruit the right kind of staff who are as passionate and committed to good care as we are. I think the fact that we had five of our team in the running for these prestigious awards shows that we are doing that.”