Strong Life Care

29/05/2026

Some people simply refuse to stand still when it comes to making a difference — and Christian Whiteley-Mason and the team at Thornhill House Care Home in Darfield, Barnsley are a perfect example of that. 🖤✨

At the Strong Life Care Awards 2026, Christian was proudly presented with the Community Engagement and Reach award in recognition of the incredible work he and the Thornhill House team continue to do within the local community.

This is about far more than fundraising alone.

Over the last year, Thornhill House has consistently gone above and beyond to support important causes across Barnsley and beyond — raising awareness and vital funds for organisations including Barnsley Hospice Barnsley Hospital Charity, and Help 4 Homeless Veterans projects.

Whether it has been Christian stepping onto the dancefloor for Strictly, the team taking part in parachute jumps, collecting hundreds upon hundreds of chocolate bars, or helping support furniture and beds for vulnerable veterans in need of accommodation, the team has continually found ways to bring people together and make a genuine difference.

Importantly, this work has also helped build stronger connections between the home, families and the wider community. With support from both the current and former Mayor of Barnsley, Thornhill House has become a recognised and respected part of the local community — helping raise awareness not only of important charities, but also of the warm, caring environment within the home itself.

At Strong Life Care, we are incredibly proud of the way Christian and the Thornhill House team consistently set the bar for community engagement, compassion and teamwork.

Their passion, energy and commitment have not only raised significant amounts for charity, but have also helped put Thornhill House firmly on the map for families looking for care and support in the Barnsley area.

Congratulations Christian and the entire Thornhill House team — a truly deserved recognition for the difference you continue to make every single day. 👏

27/05/2026

At Strong Life Care, we firmly believe that great care starts with great people — and when you find the right people, support them properly and invest in their growth, incredible things happen. 🖤✨

That was certainly the case for Highstone Mews Care Home in Worsborough Common, at the Strong Life Care Awards 2026, where the home proudly secured an incredible double win:
🏆 Home Manager of the Year – Chloe Evans
🏆 Deputy Manager of the Year – Cheryl Baker

To see both leaders recognised on the same evening says so much about the culture, teamwork and dedication within the home.

Care is not an easy profession. Every day brings responsibility, emotion, challenges and pressure, alongside the privilege of supporting people through important stages of their lives. Chloe and Cheryl manage all of this side by side — supporting residents, families and staff while quietly leading from the front every single day.

What makes this achievement even more special is that they constantly fly under the radar. They are simply too busy focusing on residents, supporting their team and making sure the home runs as it should.

At Strong Life Care, we are passionate about identifying talented, caring individuals, supporting them on their career journeys and watching them grow into exceptional leaders — and Chloe and Cheryl are wonderful examples of exactly that.

The support they received from colleagues and friends throughout the awards process speaks volumes about the respect people have for them and the difference they make every day.

Three cheers for two truly lovely women whose compassion, teamwork and dedication continue to make Highstone Mews a very special place to live and work. 👏

26/05/2026

A huge congratulations to the housekeeping teams at both Earls Lodge Care Home in Wakefield and Thornhill House Care Home in Darfield following a fantastic evening at the Strong Life Care Awards 2026 held at Wakefield Trinity Stadium on Saturday evening. 🖤✨

In what was effectively a joint win, both homes were recognised with the Housekeeping Team award after judges and nominations highlighted the incredible standards, hard work and dedication shown by both teams every single day.

Housekeeping teams are such an important part of life within our homes. They help create environments that feel warm, welcoming, safe and comfortable for residents, families and visitors alike — and these awards recognised the pride and commitment shown behind the scenes each and every day.

The recognition reflects not only consistently high standards, but also the teamwork, kindness and attention to detail that help make both homes feel truly homely.

At Strong Life Care, we are incredibly proud of the people behind the care, and both teams should feel immensely proud of this well-deserved recognition.

Congratulations once again to everyone at Earls Lodge and Thornhill House. 👏

24/05/2026

What a night. 💛

On Saturday evening, colleagues, families, partners and friends came together at Wakefield Trinity Conferences & Events for the Strong Life Care Awards 2026 — a celebration of the amazing people who make our homes warm, caring and full of life every single day.

It was an absolute pleasure to organise the event and celebrate teams and individuals who work tirelessly to support residents with kindness, dignity, compassion and humour, often long after shifts should have ended, but we couldn't have done it without the amazing Meg (events organiser at Wakefield Trinity).

The venue looked fantastic and created the perfect setting for an evening full of pride, laughter and celebration. From the fun casino tables and popular 360 photo booth to the packed dancefloor kept busy by our DJs, the atmosphere throughout the night was brilliant.

A huge personal thank you to Meg and the amazing team at Wakefield Trinity Conferences & Events for all of their support in helping us bring the evening together. Nothing was too much trouble and their support throughout was greatly appreciated.

Throughout the evening we celebrated some incredible achievements across Strong Life Care:

🏆 Home Management Team of the Year – Cooper House Care Home, Wibsey.
🏆 Dementia Innovator of the Year – Rebecca Mason, Tenlands Care Home, Ferryhill.
🏆 Carer of the Year – Leah Kelsey, Highstone Mews Care Home, Worsbrough Common.
🏆 Nurse of the Year – Iram Kauser, Cooper House
🏆 Admin of the Year – Nicola Walker, Cooper House
🏆 Home Manager of the Year – Chloe Evans, Highstone Mews
🏆 Deputy Manager of the Year – Cheryl Baker, Highstone Mews
🏆 Maintenance Team of the Year – Neil Hartley, Hesslewood House Care Home, Hessle.
🏆 Kitchen Team of the Year – Hesslewood House
🏆 Activities Team of the Year – Keeley Ramsey, Tuxford Manor Care Home, Tuxford.
🏆 Housekeeping Team of the Year – Earls Lodge Care Home, Wakefield and Thornhill House Care Home, Darfield.
🏆 Community Engagement of the Year – Christian Whiteley-Mason and the team at Thornhill House

The Community Engagement Award was particularly special, recognising the incredible charitable work carried out over the last 12 months in support of organisations including Barnsley Hospice and Barnsley Hospital Charity — and now a 10k challenge for Candlelighters.

A very special mention must also go to Candlelighters. Kegan Powell shared an incredibly moving speech about her experience and the support received for her baby boy through the charity. Thanks to the generosity of everyone attending, we raised almost £4,000 during the evening to support their amazing work.

To every finalist, highly commended recipient and winner — congratulations and thank you. The compassion, resilience, humour and commitment shown across our homes every day deserve to be recognised and celebrated.

And finally, thank you to everyone who helped make the evening so special. What a team. 💙

19/05/2026

💛 The raffle prizes are rolling in and we honestly can’t thank everyone enough for the support so far! 💛

This Saturday night at the Strong Life Care Awards, we’re looking forward to raising the roof AND raising as much money as we can for Candlelighters — an amazing Yorkshire charity supporting children with cancer and their families.

Candlelighters provides emotional, practical and financial support to families during incredibly difficult times, and we’re so proud to be supporting such a special cause.

🎁 We are still looking for raffle prize donations, so if any local businesses, friends, families or supporters would like to help, we’d be hugely grateful.

Whether it’s:
✨ A gift voucher
✨ Hamper items
✨ A business donation
✨ An experience or treat

Every donation, big or small, will help us raise even more money for this wonderful charity. 💛

The raffle will be drawn during our Strong Life Care Annual Awards on May 23rd and we can’t wait for a fantastic night bringing everyone together for such an important cause.

If you’d like to donate a raffle prize or support our fundraising, please message our page directly, or donate here: https://share.google/VNkcxQblBKGid1oYb

Thank you again for all your kindness and support 💛

18/05/2026

18/05/2026

At Hesslewood House Care Home, our residents and staff are proudly embracing the Veteran Friendly Framework 🇬🇧💙
The home has recently bought a world map where veterans will be able to pin the places they served around the world 🌍 This is already creating wonderful conversations, memories, and opportunities for residents to share their stories and experiences.

The team has also spoken with the home’s GP to ensure they are aware of residents’ care plans and the home’s commitment to adopting the Veteran Friendly Framework.

There are lots of exciting plans ahead for Spring and Summer, including Veteran Friendly outings and activities designed to support wellbeing, connection, and reminiscence ☀️
These moments often lead to fascinating stories, thoughtful questions, and plenty of reminiscing. It’s always a pleasure to listen and learn from the experiences our veterans share ❤️

We would welcome any memorabilia relating to veterans.

18/05/2026

🧸 HIGHSTONE MEWS CARE HOME 🧸
Supporting Barnsley Hospital Charity’s
Cuddly Dip Appeal 💙

Help us bring comfort, smiles and a little extra love to patients and families supported by Barnsley Hospital Charity 🏥✨

The team at Highstone Mews Care Home, Worsbrough Common, is collecting donations of:

🧸 New or good-quality soft toys & teddies
🧼 Clean and ready to cuddle
💙 Suitable for children and families in need of comfort

Every teddy donated could help brighten someone’s day and provide reassurance during difficult times.

📍 Donations can be dropped off at:

Highstone Mews Care Home
Worsbrough Common, Barnsley

❤️ Please donate as soon as possible

Let’s come together as a community and support this wonderful local NHS charity.

💙 Everyone has a life worth celebrating.