A DEDICATED care home worker could be in line for a national award.

Jackie Rickett, who has worked at Aveley Lodge Care Home in Fingringhoe for four years, won the regional category of best Care Home Worker at the East of England Care Awards.

The home she works at, owned and managed by Michael Parmenter, also received runners up prizes in the care home activities co-ordinator and care home cook categories.

Jackie is now set to attend the national finals in Birmingham in March where former singing star Martin Kemp will hand out gongs to the winners.

Suzanne Parmenter, HR manager at Aveley Lodge, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for such a small, family run care home like ours.”

“We get to show that you don’t have to be part of the multimillion pound, large chain of care homes to be excellent in your field. Everyone who works at Aveley works incredibly hard and are proud to work for such an outstanding company. It’s fantastic to now have some recognition for this hard work and show the world not all care homes are bad, there are some, like us, who are rare gems.”