Doreen’s Outstanding Contribution…

Tonight sees the very best of the care sector come together for the Great Yorkshire Humberside Care Awards in York. One very special lady in Leeds will be up for the ultimate honour – the Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award.

Read a little more about Doreen’s incredible career and impact…

Meet Doreen…

Doreen Holmes has dedicated her life to supporting people with Learning Disabilities in Leeds to live full and happy lives; championing their dignity, choice and potential and supporting them to play an active and meaningful role in their communities.

A true champion of care in the community, Doreen joined Community Integrated Care in the 1990s, and played an integral role in supporting people with learning disabilities to leave institutionalised hospitals in order to live happier and fuller lives in their communities.

In this time, she supported five ladies in the Bramley area of Leeds to begin their new lives in their community. Her natural leadership qualities means that she quickly became a Senior Support Worker, and subsequently a Registered Manager in 2006 – despite her rising through the ranks, her devotion to the ladies never faltered, remaining hands on in every aspect of their support.

In recent years, she has advocated for the ladies’ dignity, rights and choice, leading their service through deregistration from a registered service to a supported living tenancy, bringing them new-found goals and independence. Throughout her career, Doreen has embraced any changes in society and the social care sector, knowing that they bring with them positive impacts for the people she supports, who have always remained her priority.