Care manager wins WOW Award

Diane MacGregor received her accolade in recognition of the initiative she introduced to bring residents at FirstPort managed retirement development, Orchard Court in Leeds, together with children from the local Weetwood Primary School.

The WOW! Awards celebrate individuals who are raising customer service.

Diane said: “I am truly honoured to have been given this award. The work I have done with the children and my residents has been such a lovely experience.”

“It has been a joy to see the hearts and minds of our residents and children connect and develop with genuine endearment. To have been recognised for the work I’ve done to make this happen has been the icing on the cake.”

Keith Shields, Managing Director of FirstPort Retirement Property Services, said: “Diane is a real inspiration to us all at FirstPort and is very deserving of this award.

“She saw an opportunity to make a difference for her residents and grasped it with both hands. This epitomises our role as development managers, we’re not there just to manage the day-to-day running of a property, we’re also there to help foster a community, and what Diane has achieved is really special. We are really proud of her.”

The project that won Diane her award aimed to bridge the gap between two generations.

This was achieved by hosting regular visits with children aged between four and 10 years old to increase wellbeing and engagement, reduce loneliness, and just to have a little fun.

Residents and children often played games, got involved with arts and crafts, and residents were invited as ‘special guests’ to a number of events held at the school, like their sports day and nativity play.

Diane was able to accept her award in person at the WOW! Awards National Gala at The Pavilion at Tower of London and was up against individuals from Durham Constabulary, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Peabody.