Marie Calderbank is best in North West!

Marie Calderbank, Experience Coordinator at Belong Wigan, has won the Care Home Activity Organiser award at the prestigious Great North West Care Awards 2014. Marie was presented with the award by entertainer Steve Walls in a lavish ceremony at The Palace Hotel, Manchester.
Judges at the Great North West Care awards called Marie: "An exceptional candidate in every respect ‘who really gets it’, with true in-depth understanding of the people that she supports. She translates her philosophies into meaningful, person-centred activities."
Speaking of her win, Marie said: "This is such an honour. I had no idea that my colleagues had taken the time to nominate me and was overwhelmed when I found out. The past 12 months have been the most rewarding ones of my professional career, and I am privileged work with a team of such supportive people."
Paying tribute to Marie, Belong Wigan General Manager, Gill Menguy, said: "I am thrilled that the judges have acknowledged what we have known for a long time now, that Marie provides an exceptional service to Belong Wigan customers. Marie brings immense creativity and enthusiasm to her role, and she has been tremendously successful in ensuring that 'experience days' at the village are just that – wonderful experiences to be enjoyed and remembered."
More than two thirds of the people that Marie supports in Belong Wigan are living with dementia and she shows exceptional skill in designing activities to occupy people in the care village in a rewarding and meaningful way.
Marie Calderbank will now attend the national finals of the Great British Care Awards, where she will compete against other regional winners from the Care Home Activity Organiser category. The final winners will be announced at The ICC in Birmingham in April June 2015. The Great British Care Awards, which are supported by the Department of Health, exist to celebrate excellence across the care sector, paying tribute to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work.