Horizon House wins ‘Best Kept’ award

The awards, which are run by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council, recognise the staff and residents of day-care, residential and healthcare facilities who showcased their dedication and pride in their workplace or residential care homes by improving their surroundings.

All five of Northern Ireland’s Health Trust areas saw an overall winner and runner-up announced, with Foyle Hospice, Londonderry taking the coveted ‘Best of the Best’ title.

Other winners in the Northern Trust area included Gillaroo Lodge Nursing Home, Larne and Hawthorns Adult Day Centre, Carrickfergus.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Doreen Muskett MBE, Chair of the NIAC said: “We were extremely impressed by each of the entries in this category. The staff, residents and volunteers at each facility do a sterling job in creating and maintaining such creative, beautiful and well-kept spaces and are to be commended for their wonderful efforts.

“Congratulations to all of the winners across the Northern Trust region, whose hard work demonstrates just what it takes to be crowned a ‘Best Kept’ facility.”

John Laverty from Open+Direct Insurance added: “Congratulations to Horizon House and the other Northern Trust area winners on their fantastic achievements. These facilities provide a wonderful service to the community on a daily basis and this accomplishment illustrates how the staff and volunteers who manage them go the extra mile to create tranquil and beautiful surroundings which are an essential part of the therapeutic care provided. This is our first year as sponsors of these prestigious awards and it has been heartening to see so much time and effort expended in creating the right atmosphere in these facilities which, as well as being workplaces, are often homes and communities of their own.”

Adding his congratulations to the winners, Richard Pengelly, Permanent Secretary of the DHSSPS said: “I would like to congratulate all of the award winners in this year’s Best Kept Health and Social Care Facility Awards. These awards are a great way for health and social care teams and their clients to work together in an effort to make the very best of their shared environment. All participants in this year’s event are to be commended in what has been by all accounts a very successful competition.

“It is encouraging to hear how much work they have put into maintaining and improving both their indoor and outdoor spaces and what a difference this will make to the health and well-being of service users, which is so important in a health and social care setting.”