Agency Care Worker of the Year

Laurence Picken
Nominated by Kennedy Recruitment, Belfast

Northern Ireland care worker Laurence Picken is in the running to be crowned UK’s top temporary worker that carries the prestigious title of One in a Million Award winner.

Laurence has won the Agency Care Worker category of the One in a Million Award.

Nominated by Belfast agency, Kennedy Recruitment for whom he has worked for nearly ten years, Laurence originally worked in a meat factory, but his interest in the caring profession, especially the elderly, started when he looked after his father during his terminal illness.

The time he spent with his father he believes revealed to him a whole new way of looking at life. Now he cares for his elderly mother while at the same time looking after a 97-year-old former solicitor who lives on his own, often staying overnight with him when necessary.

He said he enjoys visiting clients and going that extra mile for them whether it is washing and blow drying a lady’s hair or cooking a meal.

Of his job, Laurence explained that a carer needs to respect their client, listen to what they want and have the client’s trust.

“I have become a more confident person within myself knowing that I am part of a service offered to the most needy in today’s society, the sick and the vulnerable. For that I will always be grateful to Kennedy for offering me such a great opportunity,” he added.

Kim Shannon-Gorman at Kennedy Recruitment said of Laurence: “He is a warm-hearted, genuine person who always looks beyond the physical and medical needs of a person to also touch and care for their mental well-being and self-confidence.

Helen Reynolds, the REC’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, said: “Laurence is one of life’s unsung heroes, working with such great sensitivity and understanding with elderly people. It seems as though he has found his vocation in a role which can be extremely challenging yet in which he obviously excels.”