A gala reception at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, rounded off National Care Homes Week on 6 June.

Staff and residents from care homes around the country celebrated a week which had shone a positive spotlight on the care sector.

On one of this year’s few warm days, nearly 100 of them gathered in Cambridge Cottage, a Georgian mansion in the grounds of Kew, to hear Caring Business deputy editor, Amena Saleem, pay tribute to their hard work and dedication.

Each home was presented with a certificate in recognition of the great care provided to its residents.

Karen Williams, manager of the Beaufort Care Home, Coventry, said: ‘We had a fantastic day. There were seven of us and we were all staff.

‘It was a great morale boost for staff. They didn’t know that I’d nominated them so, when I told them about the day, they were over the moon. They thoroughly enjoyed the day.’

Prizes, including bottles of champagne and concert tickets, were won in a raffle draw, and guests were able to look round the gardens after the reception.