ivolve Awards 2025: Celebrating Everyday Heroes in Social Care

Join us in celebrating the ivolve Awards 2025 – an unforgettable showcase of compassion, dedication and everyday brilliance, honouring the incredible colleagues making a lasting impact across our services in England and Wales.

The ivolve Awards 2025 brought together more than just colleagues – they united a community of compassion, purpose and celebration. Held in Wales on Tuesday 8th July and England on Tuesday 15th July, these unforgettable evenings honoured those who bring our values to life every single day across ivolve.

With a record-breaking 1,635 nominations – from colleagues, families and professionals – it’s clear how deeply the actions of our teams resonate. This year, more than ever, the awards reflected the extraordinary stories being written every day in our homes, services and support functions across England and Wales.

Each evening was a joyful celebration, rich in emotion and full of heart. Guests were treated to a delicious two-course meal, followed by live music, dancing, and more than a few (dodgy but brilliant!) dance moves. There were happy tears, moments of quiet pride, and thunderous applause as story after story revealed the depth of commitment, empathy and resilience of our colleagues.

We celebrated not just success, but the small, magical moments that so often go unseen: a kind word that changed someone’s day, a brave action that safeguarded a life, or a creative idea that brought joy and belonging.

“The ivolve Awards are all about celebrating the incredible things our colleagues do for the people we support,” said Keeley Denman, Divisional Head of People for England.

“Those little moments that create real magic, providing lifelong memories – they deserve to be celebrated. These events have been a huge success and enabled us to recognise the achievements of our colleagues across ivolve.”

Grouped by category, here are this year’s incredible winners from across the ivolve family:

Culture & Values Hero

Michelle (Wales) – A calm, supportive presence who adapts with empathy and brings people together.
Kevin (England) – A true cheerleader, lifting others through kindness, honesty and joy.

Group Functions Hero

Brandon (Wales & England) – Recognised in both regions for turning challenges into well-managed successes with courtesy and professionalism.

Newcomer of the Year

Emma (Wales) – Known for kindness, creativity and supporting colleagues through tough moments.
Alastair (England) – A fast learner and natural leader whose compassionate care has made an immediate impact.

People’s Choice

Josephine (Wales) – Nominated by a father for going above and beyond to support his daughter with a brain injury.
Moorgreen Team (England) – Described by a person we support as “the best place to live – I never want to leave!”

Commitment to ESG

Heathfield Apartments (Wales) – Partnered with the council to boost recycling and reduce waste.
Knollbeck Team (England) – A beacon of sustainability with homegrown produce, chickens, and upcycling as part of daily life.

Strive Award

Aimie (Wales) – Her patience helped a person we support build trust, connection and social confidence.
Amanda (England) – Relentless in securing specialist health access, she’s improved lives through persistence and partnership.

Ancillary Colleague of the Year

Rhiannon (Wales) – A systems whizz who ensures smooth communication and colleague support.
Rachel (England) – Managed complex regional transitions with adaptability, precision and professionalism.

Learner of the Year

Jennifer (Wales) – A first-year nursing student who set new benchmarks in clinical excellence and compassion.
Isabelle (England) – Completed her Level 5 leadership qualification and inspired others through poetry and growth.

Team of the Year

Tan Yr Allt House (Wales) – Achieved top marks in quality and people, they lead the way in delivering outstanding care for the people we support.
Knollbeck (England) – Produced high scores across quality and people, they set the standard in service excellence with a focus on the people we support.

Nurse of the Year

Nerys (Wales) – Described as compassionate, charismatic and an uplifting presence to everyone around her.

Leader of the Year

Vicki (Wales) – A hands-on, heartfelt leader respected by colleagues and families alike.
Mujtaba (England) – A motivating force for his team, nominated by six colleagues for his empowering leadership.

Colleague of the Year

Jake (Wales) – From saving a life to walking someone down the aisle, his acts of care are deeply moving.
Omololu (England) – Delivered exceptional support during a crisis, showing deep empathy and courage.

None of these unforgettable moments would have been possible without the incredible support of our event sponsors. Their generosity helped turn our vision into a truly magical celebration – one filled with music, laughter, recognition and connection.

From the first course to the final dance move, their backing ensured our colleagues felt as valued and celebrated as they deserve to be.

A huge thank you to:

Reward Gateway

Sona

Access

Nourish

These partnerships play a vital role in helping us celebrate and invest in the colleague experience – something we are proud to be nationally recognised for. In fact, ivolve has been named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for both 2024 and 2025, and also included on the Sunday Times Best Apprenticeship Employers 2025 list.

These accolades are a testament to our people-first approach, where recognition, development, and belonging are not just values, but the way we work. And these awards are just one of the ways we show our colleagues how much we appreciate them.

Rachel Mundy, Head of People and Culture for Wales, echoed that sentiment “These awards reflect the heart of ivolve.”

“Whether it’s laughter shared at a service or a story of someone overcoming immense challenges with support from our teams, this is why we do what we do. The events allowed us to honour that spirit, that community, and the brilliant individuals who make it happen every day.”

Every colleague honoured at the ivolve Awards 2025 is a reminder of what’s possible when people come together with purpose and heart. If their stories have inspired you, we’d love for you to join us.

When thousands of colleagues across ivolve took part in this year’s annual colleague survey, they weren’t just sharing feedback about their workplace. They were helping support something much bigger.

Thanks to record participation in our annual colleague survey fundraising initiative, we’ve proudly donated funds to both Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK, turning colleague feedback into meaningful support for two charities that touch the lives of millions of people across the UK.

The donations were formally presented during a special cheque presentation event attended by representatives from both charities, celebrating the collective impact that can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose.

At ivolve, listening to colleagues isn’t simply something we do once a year. It’s part of how we shape our culture, improve experiences and create a workplace where people feel valued, heard and empowered to make a difference.

This year, however, the survey delivered something even more powerful. For every completed survey response, we pledged to donate £1 to charity, giving colleagues not only the opportunity to share their views but also a direct say in where the money would go.

The result was our highest ever level of survey engagement, with thousands of colleagues from across our nursing, residential care and supported living homes in England and Wales taking part.

Together, those individual responses created a collective contribution that will now help support people affected by dementia and fund life-saving cancer research.

How Colleague Survey Fundraising Made a Difference

At ivolve, we believe that every voice matters. Our colleague survey plays a vital role in helping us shape the future of our organisation.

The insights colleagues share influence decisions, improvements and priorities across the business, helping us continue building an environment where people can do their best work while delivering meaningful care to the people we support. The colleague survey fundraising initiative was designed to reinforce that belief.

By linking survey participation directly to charitable giving, colleagues could see first-hand how sharing their views could make a difference beyond their own workplace.

The response exceeded expectations. Thousands of colleagues took the time to provide feedback, demonstrating not only their commitment to improving ivolve but also their desire to support causes that matter deeply to them.

When it came to selecting the charity, colleagues were invited to vote for the cause they wanted the donation to support. The result was incredibly close, so rather than selecting a single winner, we chose to split the funds between the two charities that received the highest number of votes: Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research UK.

The decision ensured that both charities would benefit from the generosity and engagement of colleagues across the organisation. It’s a simple idea, but one that reflects something important about our culture.

We know that meaningful change often starts with small actions. Completing a survey may seem like a small act on its own, but when thousands of people come together, those actions can create a powerful impact.

That principle sits at the heart of our employee value proposition and the culture we’ve worked hard to build. It’s also one of the reasons ivolve has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Places to Work by The Sunday Times for three consecutive years. We know that when colleagues feel listened to, valued and involved in shaping the future, everyone benefits.

"We simply can't reach those who need us without support from incredible fundraisers like ivolve Care & Support."

Jodie Jarecki,
Regional Fundraiser – Alzheimer’s Society

Supporting Causes Close to Colleagues’ Hearts

The charities selected by colleagues represent causes that affect countless families, communities and colleagues across the UK.

Alzheimer’s Society works tirelessly to support people living with dementia, fund groundbreaking research and campaign for change.

Speaking following the cheque presentation, Jodie Jarecki, Regional Fundraiser for the East Midlands at Alzheimer’s Society, highlighted the difference the donation will make.

“We are so grateful that ivolve Care & Support chose to support Alzheimer’s Society. We provide vital support to people living with dementia, funds groundbreaking research and campaigns to make dementia the priority it should be. It will take a society to beat dementia.”

She continued, “There are around a million people living with dementia in the UK including 14,006 in Derbyshire. We all have a role to play in ending the devastation dementia causes. We simply can’t reach everyone who needs us without the continued support of our incredible fundraisers like colleagues at ivolve Care & Support.”

"Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research."

Joyce Clifford,
Alfreton Representative – Cancer Research UK

The donation will help Alzheimer’s Society continue providing vital support services while funding research aimed at improving lives and finding solutions for future generations.

Cancer Research UK, meanwhile, remains the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving and improving lives through research, influence and information.

Representing the charity at the presentation event was Joyce Clifford, Chairman of the Alfreton and District Committee for Cancer Research UK.

Reflecting on the occasion, she said: “A lovely morning to celebrate, and so well organised. Thank you so much for choosing to support Cancer Research UK. Every penny raised goes towards vital life-saving research.”

This is why initiatives like this matter. Behind every donation is the potential for hope. Hope for better treatments. Hope for greater understanding. Hope for brighter futures for individuals and families facing some of life’s toughest challenges. And we’re proud to be part of that in some small way.

A Workplace Where Feedback Matters

The success of our colleague survey charity donation initiative is a reflection of the culture we continue to build.

Across our organisation, we support more than 1,150 adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and complex support needs through more than 185 homes and support services across England and Wales.

Delivering high-quality support starts with having engaged, motivated and valued colleagues. That’s why listening matters.

Every year, our colleague survey helps us better understand what’s working, where we can improve and how we can continue making ivolve a great place to work. The feedback we receive directly informs actions, priorities and improvements across the organisation.

Divisional Head of People for England, Keeley Denman, believes this year’s initiative demonstrates the power of collective action. “The response from our colleagues demonstrates their shared commitment to making a difference and shows that small individual actions – such as completing a survey – can come together to create a significant collective impact.

“The success of our colleague survey fundraising initiative reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back. Our annual survey remains a key part of how we gather insight and shape our future and we have been delighted it has further benefitted not one, but two charities close to the hearts of our colleagues.”

That commitment to listening has helped shape a culture where colleagues feel able to speak up, share ideas and influence positive change. We’ve recently been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for the third consecutive year, reflecting the experiences and feedback of colleagues across the organisation. While awards are never the goal, they provide a valuable reminder that listening to colleagues and acting on what they tell us makes a real difference.

Whether it’s supporting people to achieve personal goals, volunteering within local communities, raising money for important causes or sharing ideas that help improve our organisation, our colleagues consistently demonstrate the values that make ivolve special.

"The success of our colleague survey reflects the culture we continue to build, while also reinforcing our commitment to giving back"

Keeley Denman
Divisional Head of People for England at ivolve

Small Actions, Lasting Impact

The cheque presentation marked the end of one fundraising initiative, but it also highlighted something much bigger.

When people feel heard, they engage. When they engage, they contribute. And when thousands of people contribute together, remarkable things can happen.

What began as colleague survey fundraising became an opportunity to support two incredible charities, fund important work and demonstrate the positive impact that colleague voices can have both within and beyond the workplace.

At ivolve, we’re incredibly proud of every colleague who took the time to complete the survey, cast their vote and help make these donations possible. Their feedback will continue helping us shape the future of ivolve.

Their participation has already helped make a difference to two charities doing extraordinary work. As we begin reviewing this year’s feedback, we’ll continue using those insights to strengthen our culture, improve colleague experience and ensure ivolve remains a place where people can thrive.

Because when colleagues feel heard, supported and empowered, positive things happen – for our teams, for the people we support and, as this initiative has shown, for the wider communities around us too.

Looking for a workplace where your voice matters?

At ivolve, colleague feedback helps shape decisions, drive improvements and create positive change. Explore our latest opportunities and discover how you can build a meaningful career with us.