Midsomer Norton Residential Home Administrator, Sue Bendall, has scooped the Contribution to the Community Award at the Sirona Awards for Excellence for her Festival of the Scarecrow, which featured in The Journal recently.

Over fifty scarecrows decorated Combe Lea Community Resource Centre, in Midsomer Norton, for the inaugural festival, which involved individuals, families, schools, young people’s groups and businesses.

Meanwhile, Extra Care Shift Leader, Ruth Grindrod, based in Bath, was described as a “real-life Mary Poppins” at the award ceremony.

A record number of nominations, nearly three hundred, were received for this year’s awards, which are held annually to mark Sirona’s foundation as a not-for-profit social enterprise. Many are received from the public, including the ‘I Think They Deserve It Award’, won by Ruth, who is based at St John’s Court in Bath.

Sirona’s Chief Executive, Janet Rowse, paid particular tribute to the hard work of those in Residential Services, who had seen more challenges than most in the previous year. She said it was with sadness and pride these services would be transferred to another provider next year.

She told attendees there had been a record number of nominations, including many from the public: “Many of them spoke about people going above and beyond, not just within Sirona, but across organisational boundaries, and how our values are embedded in everything we do. You all make me so proud to be part of Sirona.”

Simon Knighton, Chair of Sirona Care & Health, added: “I am truly proud of everyone in Sirona, so whether you received an award tonight or not, you have my deepest admiration and respect for all that you do.”