It's the final countdown for caring Sharon

May 29 2009 by Andrew Newport, Paisley Daily Express

A MUM will tonight be centre stage when she is recognised as one of the top carers in Scotland at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Sharon Orr has been selected from over 200 entrants as a finalist for this year’s Scottish Care at Home Awards.

The Bishopton woman has been nominated in the Children and Families Employee of the Year category and will learn her fate tonight when the ceremony is staged at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow.

Sharon, who works as a homecare supervisor at Ailsa Care Services in Renfrew, is delighted that she has been named as a finalist.

She said: “I am absolutely thrilled. I can hardly believe that I have been nominated for this award, let alone chosen as a finalist.

“I’m really looking forward to the awards ceremony and, even if I don’t win, just being nominated has made me feel really special.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to have received this recognition as a finalist. It has really blown me away.

“I have been in the industry for six years now and I really do love it.

“ It is so satisfying and I’ve met a lot of nice people along the way.

“Starting at Ailsa Care Services was really the turning point which made me realise that this is definitely the career for me.”

Now in their third year, the Scottish Care at Home Awards have been hailed as a huge success, with more entries than ever flooding in from service users, employers and employees nominating their peers and colleagues.

Tonight’s big awards ceremony will follow a full day of conference for members of the care sector, who will address various issues affecting both workers and care service users.

Among those who will be represented are Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health and Sport; Marcia Ramsay, of the Care Commission; and Alan Baird, director of social work in Dundee.

Linda Smith, service manager at Ailsa Care Services, who nominated Sharon for the award in recognition of the fantastic work she has done, said: “I am delighted that Sharon has been shortlisted.

“She is perfectly suited to this profession and she always gives 100 per cent.

“She is very passionate about working with children and families and her enthusiasm has been truly infectious among the rest of our staff.

“Whatever the outcome at the awards ceremony, she is a winner in our eyes.”