"Penhayes House is an incredible place to have begun my career and I know I will spend many more happy years there."
Bethany Lumley
Carers at Penhayes House in Kenton, Exeter, have been recognised in the Outstanding Care Awards for Devon and Cornwall.
Bethany Lumley, 21 years old, began her career at Penhayes House in November 2018 as a care support worker. Bethany won the award for care newcomer, which recognises and celebrates a new member of staff or service who has commenced employment in the care sector in the last three years.
Paulina Schmid scooped a silver award in the deputy manager of the year category at the ceremony held at the Riviera Centre in Torquay. The category recognises deputy managers who excel in their remits, delivering first class support and sharing the vision of the facility’s registered manager.
Paulina, 26, joined the company in 2013, starting as a care support worker, then senior support worker, finally taking the role of deputy manager in 2016. She took the role of deputy manager at Penhayes House in 2018 when the service opened.
The Outstanding Care Awards for Devon and Cornwall, celebrate the most dedicated individuals, providers and suppliers in the care industry across the region and it is run by the Care Network Group.
Penhayes House is a small residential unit in Kenton, near Exeter. It is a specialist service providing individual, bespoke accommodation focusing on independence
and skill development for adults with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs including mental health issues.
Bethany said: “I’m totally overwhelmed! I never dreamed that after only a short time in the industry, I would be doing so well. I feel like I’ve definitely found my career for life.
“Penhayes House is an incredible place to have begun my career and I know I will spend many more happy years there.”
Hania Tasiemska, the registered manager, said: ''Bethany has worked at Penhayes House for the past five months, this is her first role in social care setting, and as a young adult she has dived into the work head first.
“In her relatively short time at Penhayes House, Bethany has showed kindness, empathy and dedication to the individuals she supports. Her empathetic approach to those with development difficulties allowed her to build positive relationships with the individuals she supports and build trust in a short space of time.
“Beth is a hardworking and supportive colleague to others and a great asset to the team. I am looking forward to seeing Bethany developing in her role and I am proud of her achievements so far.”
On receiving the accolade, Paulina commented: “I’m absolutely over the moon to have received this award.
“I love my job, my colleagues and our residents. It’s a privilege to be able to work in such a rewarding environment, and to receive this recognition is the icing on the cake!”
Hania, registered manager at Penhayes House, said: “Paulina is a real asset to the team here at Penhayes House, she has worked tirelessly over the past year in supporting the set-up of the home. Her dedication, hard work and drive for improvement of the residents’ quality of life lead to great outcomes for the people we support and we’re lucky to have her. Her award from the Outstanding Care Awards is well-deserved.”
Martyn Heginbotham, managing director of Pathways Care Group, added: “These awards are a fantastic accolade for Bethany and Paulina. They show that Penhayes House, under the leadership of Hania, has a passionate team who routinely go the extra mile to deliver the highest standard of care.”
