• Shelly Smith, Home Manager at Whitefriars care home, Stamford, Care Home Registered Manager Award Winner
• Joanne Gostelow, Head Housekeeper at Skirbeck Court, Boston, Ancillary Worker Award Highly Commended

Shelly Smith, Home Manager at Whitefriars care home Stamford, has won the Registered Manager Award in the Great British Care Awards East Midlands final event. Shelly, who has worked for the care home run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) since 2016, will go through to the national finals in the spring. 

Home Manager, Shelly, attended the night with fellow finalists from Whitefriars Michael Porter, Night Care Leader, and Louise Green, Deputy Manager. 

Shelly joined OSJCT in 2016 and became Home Manager at Whitefriars in 2018. She has had a long career in care and spent several years working in Spain. Shelly prides herself on being available to residents and their families and keeps her office door open those who want to pop in and say hello.

She said: “I am overjoyed and deeply honoured to have received this incredible award. This award is not just a personal win for me but a testament to the incredible support and inspiration of the remarkable team at Whitefriars. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to The Orders of St John Care Trust who have supported me through my career journey.”

Sasha Thornalley, Head of Care, and Joanne Gostelow from Skirbeck Court in Boston, also run by OSJCT, attended the Awards as finalists and Joanne was Highly Commended in the Ancillary Worker category. Joanne said: "To be highly commended as a regional finalist is an amazing feeling and I'm extremely grateful for the recognition.”

Shelly will go through to the Great British Care Awards National Awards Final Ceremony in Birmingham in March 2025.