Brighton & Hove
Care Awards 2026

Our inaugural Brighton & Hove Care Awards were held on Thursday 17 September 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, proudly supported by Brighton & Hove City Council.

The evening was a fantastic success, bringing together 50 finalists and around 150 guests to celebrate the individuals and teams making an outstanding contribution to care across the city. It was an inspiring occasion filled with powerful stories, shared achievement and a real sense of pride in Brighton & Hove’s care community.

Representatives from Brighton & Hove City Council joined the celebration, including Steve Hook, Director of Adult Social Care (DASS); Genette Laws, Corporate Director – Homes and Adult Social Care; and Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Adult Social Care.

Reflecting on the evening, Steve Hook said:

“Genette Laws, Cllr Alexander and I all thought it was a fantastic evening, full of energy and an impressive showcase for care across the city. It was a privilege to be involved and to be invited to speak. Last Thursday’s awards must be the first of many!”

The award categories reflected the breadth and diversity of care across Brighton & Hove, recognising outstanding individuals and teams in frontline and support roles, from community-based services to those delivering highly complex residential care.

Nominees for Care Newcomer of the Year also received a special message from Natalie Cassidy, from the BBC’s Caring Together documentary series, offering encouragement to those beginning their careers in care.

The evening culminated in the Special Recognition Award, selected by the judging panel to recognise truly outstanding achievement and presented to Deans Senior Tea Club, whose founder and dedicated volunteers joined us for the celebration.

From left to right: Steve Hook, Director of Adult Social Care (DASS); Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Adult Social Care, Elizabeth Mackie (CEO of BHPIC);  Genette Laws, Corporate Director – Homes and Adult Social Care; and Mike Derek (Chair of BHPIC).

Representative volunteers from the Deans Senior Tea Club proudly celebrate their Special Recognition Award.

Mike Derrick, Chair of Brighton & Hove Partners in Care, reflected:

“On behalf of the Board and the team, who worked incredibly hard to plan and deliver this special evening, I would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone who submitted a nomination. Although we could not shortlist every nominee, each one represents the very best of care across the city. Our nominees, finalists, and the teams, families and friends who supported them are all stars—and every one of them deserves to be celebrated.”

Our heartfelt congratulations go to all our winners, finalists and nominees, and our thanks to everyone who supported the inaugural awards. Together, you made the evening a proud milestone for Brighton & Hove and, we hope, the beginning of a tradition that will continue for many years to come.

Awards Evening Photos

We hope you enjoy looking back over the photos from this memorable evening.

To download, right-click on any photo and select “Save image as.”

Award Winners and Highly Commended Recipients

Category Winner Highly Commended
Ancillary Worker of the Year Kingsway Care Office Team Macy Sullivan
Care Newcomer of the Year Elizabeth Barrows John Hanson
International Excellence in Social Care Kingsway Care Ranjana Gunathilaka; Nivya Joseph; Caremark
Workplace Well-being Award Dino Coelho Kingsway Care; Caremark
Dementia Care Award Jonathan Smith Gillian Millis; Susannah Deuk
Special Recognition Award The Deans Senior Tea Club
Care Worker of the Year Maria Yanova Illelabayo Adebisi; Faith Agbai
Hidden Gem Award Jacqueline Bazin Jac Cousins
Care Service of the Year Care Outlook Valley Drive; Home Instead; Glentworth House
Quality Excellence Award Phil Deuk Lindsey Summerfield; Lily Welch
Care Team of the Year Vallance Gardens Marina 3D; St Anne’s Residential Care Home
Care Manager/Leader of the Year Jessica Mugwambi Sandra Stinton; Elizabeth Millar; Ranjana Gunathilaka; Alison Worms

Thank You to Our Valued Sponsors!

Our sincere thanks go to all our incredible sponsors for making this year’s celebration of excellence in care possible.

Your generous support has helped us honour the outstanding individuals and teams who dedicate their lives to providing exceptional care across our community.

Thank you for being an integral part of this memorable event. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Charity Raffle

We’re delighted to share that this year’s charity raffle raised £875 for Alzheimer’s Society.

Charity Raffle Prizes

  • Hilton DoubleTree – Afternoon Tea for Two
  • Brighton i360 – Experience for Two
  • Artelium Vineyard – Wine Tour and Tasting for Two
  • Bottle of Champagne from BTG Advisory

A special mention to Kate Richmond for her outstanding efforts.

Guest Feedback

Tina O’Callaghan, Registered Manager at Oakdown House
Highly Commended – Care Leadership of the Year Award

“What a great night, everything about it was fantastic.
It made me feel so proud. I have worked in the Health and Social Care industry since I was 14, so for over 30 years, and to be recognised for all the work we do was an amazing feeling.

It made our team feel proud too; lots of my staff team have congratulated me. This award was for us.”

Marta Kazmierczak, Deputy Manager at St Saviours
Winner – Care Leadership of the Year Award

“I have attended other awards but found the East Sussex Care Awards very person-centred, focusing on the finalists.

It was a privilege to come to the stage and hear all the nomination quotes being read by the sponsors…  

Thank you again for allowing me to be part of it; it was an experience I will treasure for life.”

Zoe Kendal, Registered Manager at Edendale Lodge

“Can I say what a wonderful evening—great venue and lovely food. Well done, and I hope to join you again next year.”