Warwick care home worker named National Carer of the Year

A carer at a care home in Warwick has been named National Carer of the Year at an annual awards ceremony.

Robert Kabanga, who works at Leycester House, said he was ‘elated’, after winning the award at the National Great British Care Awards in Birmingham on March 17.

The award is designed to recognise ‘the significant role of the care home worker in consistently providing a high-quality standard of care for people living in a residential home’.

Robert, winner of the West Midlands regional final, was competing against the winners of the other regional heats.

The finalists were judged by a panel of experts from across the industry and nominees were assessed against 11 criteria, including evidence of dedication, awareness of colleagues, and career development through training.

Robert was nominated for the award by Judy Geller, the daughter of a former Leycester House resident, Martin Rantzen who died last year.

Speaking about why she nominated Robert, Judy recalled that her late father frequently mentioned to her that Robert’s respectful nature stood out to him. His empathy and understanding also made Martin feel important and dignified.

Prior to joining Leycester House, Robert’s career included engineering and teaching roles.

Robert has been at Leycester House, a part of the Berkley Care Group, for over four years.

His colleagues describe him as an exceptional carer with a great heart and are proud to work alongside him.

Tracy Barton, general manager of Leycester House, said: “The heart-warming news of Robert winning the National Carer of the Year award is testament to his exceptional qualities of kindness, compassion, empathy, and understanding.

“His commitment to making his residents feel comfortable speaks to his understanding of their needs and his dedication to providing quality care.

"He also takes pride in training his more junior colleagues to ensure that they too can achieve their best.

“Robert's award is not just a source of pride for him, but it is also a tribute to the high standards of care that Leycester House provides to its residents.

"It is individuals like Robert who make a real difference to the lives of those in need, and his work is a source of inspiration for others in the care sector.”