Celebrating Excellence: Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards 2025 | Care Management Matters

Why the best ideas in supported housing lift the people who deliver support as well as the people who receive it

On 25 March 2025, Care Management Matters (CMM) published Celebrating Excellence, its feature on the winners of the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards 2025. Among them was Apax, a supported housing social enterprise in Sydenham, South East London, whose VR Wellness programme won the Development and Innovation Award.

The judges' comments stood out for one reason. They spoke about outcomes for residents and staff together, a reminder that good innovation rarely benefits only one group. It is a theme worth exploring, because it says something important about how support works in practice.

What the Judges Said

CMM shared the judges' words on every winner. Of the Development and Innovation winner, they said the organisation had shown how its innovation was used “to improve and invigorate outcomes for both residents and staff.”

The judges added that, since its implementation, it had boosted mood, increased engagement and motivation, supported practical accomplishments and enhanced overall wellbeing. The other finalists in the category were UK3Lions CIC, and The Hoppiness Project and Alive Activities.

Being named alongside such committed organisations was humbling. Every finalist in the category had found its own way of helping people, and each deserves recognition for the work behind its entry.

Two Groups, One Goal

It is easy to think of innovation in supported housing as something done for residents. In practice, the people delivering support are just as much a part of any new idea, and just as affected by it.

When a new approach helps a resident feel calmer, it often changes the day for the staff member alongside them too. Conversations become easier, trust grows and the work feels more rewarding for everyone involved.

The reverse is also true. Teams who feel energised and supported are better placed to offer patience and warmth. Wellbeing tends to travel in both directions, which is why it helps to think about both together when planning anything new.

Values at the Centre

CMM spoke to Israa Qaddourah, Project Manager at Apax, after the awards. She said the team felt so honoured to win, and that the result came as a big surprise to everyone involved in the entry.

Israa also told CMM that Apax is making an effort to become a values-driven enterprise, with its corporate values at the centre of its working practices. She saw this as an important part of how Apax tries to work.

Values give staff a shared reference point when making decisions, especially new ones. When colleagues are clear about what matters, they can try fresh ideas with confidence that the purpose behind them stays the same, even as the methods change.

Innovation That Supports the Team

New tools can sometimes feel like extra work for busy teams. The ideas that last are usually the ones that make the job feel lighter and more meaningful, rather than adding another task to an already full day.

Involving staff early helps. When colleagues shape how something new is introduced, they understand why it matters and can explain it to residents with conviction. You can read more about Apax winning the Markel Development and Innovation Award in our Awards section.

Listening to staff after launch matters just as much. Honest feedback about what is working, and what is not, helps any programme improve and keeps it grounded in the realities of everyday support. Staff are often the first to notice what residents need next.

A Celebration of the Sector

CMM's feature celebrated winners across many categories, from dementia and compassion to creative arts and community engagement. The winners were announced at a daytime ceremony on Friday 14 March 2025, with Sally Lindsay returning as host.

The ceremony also included an interactive performance from DanceSyndrome, a disability-led charity. Moments like this remind everyone in the room that the not-for-profit sector is full of creativity and joy as well as hard work.

CMM thanked everyone involved, from nominees and judges to supporters and sponsors, and especially headline sponsor Markel. It also said it looks forward to recognising more inspiring work at the 2026 event.

Wellbeing for Everyone in the Building

Supported housing is a shared space. Residents, support workers, managers and visitors all contribute to its atmosphere, and the mood of one group quickly affects the others, for better or for worse.

Thinking about wellbeing for everyone in the building can help an organisation make better choices. A calmer, more hopeful environment benefits residents directly, and it also helps staff stay well in demanding roles.

This is perhaps the most encouraging lesson from the judges' comments. Innovation does not have to choose between the people it serves and the people who serve. At its best, it lifts both, and each group helps the other to keep going.

Shared Success

Recognition from the Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards is a great encouragement, but the real work continues each day in the homes where residents live and among the teams who support them.

Thanks go to CMM, to Markel, to the judges and to every resident and colleague who helped VR Wellness grow. Their openness to trying something new made this moment possible, and we hope to keep learning alongside them.

You can read the full feature, including every winner and finalist, in Care Management Matters: Celebrating Excellence: 2025 Winners.