Foundations National Healthy Housing Awards

And the winner is…

DLF was delighted to support Foundations in their National Healthy Housing Awards for 2021, recognising excellence in promoting accessible homes. The event took place in the National Football Museum in Manchester, on Monday 14^th December 2021.

DLF sponsored the Outstanding Achievement Award for 2021. This award recognised an individual or a team who achieved something extraordinary this year. 

What does “Outstanding Achievement” mean?

Outstanding:  Impressive, Exceptional, Accomplished Exemplar. 

Achievement:  It’s Your Journey, how you have got there? 

Leadership, responsibility, hard work, resilience, tenacity and being relentless. 

All the Nominees shortlisted for this award had these characteristics in abundance!

The shortlisted nominations in the Outstanding Achievement Award category were:

•            Lee Battye, Kirklees Council

•            Care & Repair Northamptonshire

•            Sharon Ingram, Spotless Cleaning Services

And the winner is …

Sharon Ingram, Spotless Cleaning Services

Sharon was totally overwhelmed to receive the award, presented by DLF’s Partnership Manager for the North of England, David Asquith. Once she had recovered her composure, she had the following to say,

“I know how good my business format is, but for someone else to realise that, enough to nominate me and then so many people to realise and accept what I have been trying to do all these years! There were so many obstacles (mental health social workers) in my way, people couldn't understand why clients would live surrounded rubbish and how could this be sorted, most things to me are common sense! So I started buying them rubbish bins, and 90% of the clients would use them! Then with continued work their mental health got better, and they get better as their living conditions got better! So, in the long run it is saving money on NHS resources!”

Congratulations Sharon and her small team at Spotless Cleaning Services!

Foundations

Foundations is the National Body for Home Improvement Agencies in England. They are contracted by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government to oversee a national network of nearly 200 home improvement agencies (HIAs) and handyperson providers across the country.

Paul Smith, Director of Foundations, said: “From running hospital discharge services to carrying out vital adaptations, this year’s winners highlight the way in which organisations continue to innovate and strive for improvement in partnership with colleagues across health, housing and social care. 

“But what is also striking is the way in which they have proved themselves ideally equipped to help shield some of the most vulnerable people in society from the effects of the pandemic.”

National Healthy Housing Awards

The National Healthy Housing Awards builds on the success of the annual HIA Awards, which were organised by Foundations from 2001 to 2018. The new awards, launched in 2019, continue to champion the work of Home Improvement Agencies but also celebrate a wider range of individuals and organisations across England that enable people to live independent lives.

DLF

Part of the Shaw Trust, DLF is a national charity that for over 50 years has been providing impartial information, advice & training on aids and adaptions for daily living.

Thousands of older and disabled people and their carers rely on DLF’s free Living Made Easy helpline and online marketplace to find aids and adaptations that enable them to stay put in their homes, and keep living an independent lifestyle.

DLF’s programmes for professionals include training on assessing and prescribing adaptations for Trusted Assessors, OTs and housing specialists, along with tools such as DLF ProAssist, to help them choose and recommend suitable equipment.

For more information on Foundations and the awards, including the other categories and winners:

https://www.foundations.uk.com/

https://www.foundations.uk.com/national-healthy-housing-awards-2021-winners-revealed/