A care worker from Accrington has been named Frontline Leader of the Year at the Great British Care Awards.
Corinne Riley, a team leader for the adult health and social care charity Making Space, received the award at a glittering Manchester ceremony hosted by actor and comedian Steve Ward.
The audience at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel heard how judges selected Corinne for her ‘lead by example’ approach and the importance she places on her team at supported living services in Accrington and Clitheroe.
“She clearly enjoys her current role and the positive impact she can make – she is a great frontline leader with a lot more to come,” they announced.
Corinne took home the award for the North West region, and will now go forward to the national GBCA finals in Birmingham in March. It’s the second win in as many months for Corinne, who was awarded the winning trophy in the Frontline Leader category at the Making Space Colleague Awards in October.
“Hearing my name being read out along with a list of other fantastic nominees took my breath away,” says Corinne of her GBCA win.
“I looked at my partner Matthew Bradley and daughter Chloe Riley and said ‘there’s no chance’! Then the winner was announced and it was my name. I almost didn’t get up in disbelief, even walking up to get the award I found myself looking at my colleagues from Making Space, thinking is this really happening? For days after I was waking up thinking, did that really happen?
“The entire evening was a magical evening showing appreciation to all the different agencies and care workers. A big round of applause for everybody: we all do amazing things in the different roles we do, for the people we do it for.”
Corinne leads a team of care and support workers who help people with mental health issues to live independently in their own homes in Ribble Valley and Hyndburn. Support worker Jariena Patel was also shortlisted for an award, and attended the ceremony with Corinne.
Phil Orton is the chief people officer at Making Space. “The judges said there’s a lot more to come from Corinne, and I completely agree,” he said of Corinne’s win.
“She displays all the skills of a good leader – she achieves success by lifting up her team and helping them to be their best. And when teams perform well, the people who use our services have a better experience.
“We’d also like to congratulate Jariena for being shortlisted in the Palliative Care category, in recognition of the outstanding care she gave to a tenant at the end of his life.”
The Great British Care Awards are a series of regional events throughout the UK and are a celebration of excellence across the care sector. They pay tribute to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work, from frontline staff such as care workers and care managers to people who have made an impact in other ways such as training and innovation.
