A SPECIAL lunch was held in Stirling on Monday to celebrate the prestigious awards won by healthcare charity Sue Ryder’s Scottish Homecare team.

The team of carers were some of over 200 staff and volunteers nominated out of thousands to be recognised for awards organised by the hospice and neurological care charity last month. The annual awards, with eight categories, celebrate the commitment and achievements of staff and volunteers and recognise those who have gone the extra mile and made an outstanding contribution to Sue Ryder’s work.

The Scottish Homecare team, comprising teams from Stirling and Angus, won the ‘Team of the Year Award’ and ‘Colleagues of the Year Award’ for the care it delivers to people in Scotland with life-changing conditions.

Around 3,000 hours of care is provided by the team to 400 people each week, with the team visiting people in their homes across the two regions to enable them to live more independently.

The homecare team supports people in and around Stirling with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and dementia. The needs of the service users are at the very heart of the care and support the team provides, and the high level of care also allows service users to fulfill their wishes of remaining at home with loved ones in their last days.

Along with the Sue Ryder award, the Stirling Homecare team has received the highest grade from the Care Inspectorate three years running, with special praise given to the team’s ability to forge trusting relationships with service users.

A woman whose father was cared for by the Scottish Homecare team said: “They treated my father like he was their own. He always looked forward to his carer’s visit – they cheered him up and that wasn’t always easy."

Lorraine Linton, Sue Ryder, Scottish community services manager said: “I struggle to describe how brilliant The Scottish Homecare team is. They are the kindest, compassionate and most caring and resilient people I have ever had the pleasure of supporting. They live and breathe our values and behaviours and are true Sue Ryderions, wearing their uniform with pride."

Stirling residents can support the charity and its services by purchasing raffle tickets at the Sue Ryder Dunblane shop on the High Street. The raffle, to be drawn on 31 December, includes prizes such as tennis balls signed by tennis stars Andy and Jamie Murray.

If you are interested in joining Scottish Homecare team, please contact the Sue Ryder, Stirling office on 01786 468850.