12/10/2026
💜 AN AWARD THAT MEANS MORE THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS 💜
🏆 Proud to Care Awards 2026 – Winners of the Special Judges' Award for Compassion and Humanity!
Last Friday, members of our Your Home Care team attended the Proud to Care Awards, alongside one of our wonderful clients and a family member of a very special colleague who is sadly no longer with us.
We were incredibly honoured to receive the Special Judges' Award for Compassion and Humanity, the first award of its kind, recognising extraordinary kindness, empathy and humanity.
But behind this award is a story that deserves to be told.
💜 This is Denise Wilden's story.
Denise was one of our amazing Home Care Assistants. She had the biggest personality, the most wonderfully colourful hairstyles and, above all, a genuine gift for caring. She was adored by her clients and loved by her colleagues.
Denise was someone who remembered the little things. She'd bring honey and ginger nut biscuits back from her holidays for clients simply because she knew they liked them. She'd pick up extra visits when colleagues were unwell, find ways to connect with everyone she supported and had an incredible ability to reassure people living with dementia. And when a client was poorly? She'd go home worrying about them and check in to make sure they were okay.
That was Denise. Caring wasn't just her job. It was who she was 💜.
When Denise was diagnosed with cancer, she continued doing the job she loved for as long as she could. And when Denise needed looking after herself, something truly remarkable happened. Our team came together to look after one of their own. From our office staff to our Community Care Leaders, Mentors and Home Care Assistants, everyone rallied around her.
🎂 Cake mornings
🏔️ Climbing Mount Snowdon
🎟️ Raffles and fundraising events
💜 Car boot sales and a GoFundMe campaign
Together, our incredible team raised an amazing £6,480 to support Denise. Not because they were asked to. Not because it was part of their job. But because they cared.
When Denise's story was shared at the awards ceremony, the entire room stood and applauded. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.
A moment we'll never forget.
Sadly, we lost Denise to cancer, but her legacy will live on.
We are proud to announce the creation of the Denise Wilden Award, which will be presented for the first time at our Christmas Awards Ceremony, recognising the kindness, compassion and humanity that made Denise so special.
A huge thank you to Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire Care Association for a wonderful evening, and especially Adele and her organising team.
And finally, to every member of the Your Home Care family who supported Denise...
This award belongs to YOU.
You reminded us that outstanding care doesn't stop with our clients. It extends to the people we work alongside every day.
Denise, you will always be one of our own 💜.
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Care Association
Mansfield Chad Mansfield News News Journal - A local paper for local people & local business Nottinghamshire Live Mansfield Radio BBC Nottingham ITV News BBC News
