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Penrose Care managing director, Robert Stephenson-Padron, has been awarded an OBE for services to social care in the 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours. Mr. Stephenson-Padron has worked to reform and improve the social care sector in the UK since 2012 when he began his campaign to spread the Living Wage movement within social care. At the time in 2012, there were only 4 home care providers in the UK that were Accredited Living Wage Employers. Today there are over 240 social care organisations that are Accredited Living Wage Employers – his efforts have therefore helped improve the lives of thousands of social care workers. Further, in 2014, Mr. Stephenson-Padron  successfully lobbied for the National Audit Office (NAO) to pressure the HMRC to materially enhance enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in home care.  By 2016, the NAO estimated NMW violations in social care to be no more than 12.9% of the workforce (a stark drop from c. 48%+ in FY10/11-12/13). Mr. Stephenson-Padron  therefore had a transformative impact on social care in the UK. Mr. Stephenson-Padron was elected to the Hampstead Business Association governing board on March 6, 2014 and served on it until its conversion to a Business Improvement District (BID) zoned out Belsize Village in September 2016. In October 2018, Mr. Stephenson-Padron established the Belsize Village Business Association (BVBA) with Aya Khazaal of Pivoine Nail Spa in an effort to revitalise Belsize Village which had experienced an economic decline from 2014-2018. As of October 2019 – the project has been hailed as a success with Belsize Village being successfully revitalised. In his capacity as the co-coordinator of the BVBA, Mr. Padron organised and is the head event manager of the very popular Belsize Village Streatery started on July 4, 2020, the first al fresco dining event on a public space in London after Lockdown 1 of the Coronavirus pandemic. Mr Stephenson-Padron OBE said: “I am immensely honoured and humbled to receive an OBE from Her Majesty The Queen on her Platinum Jubilee. I have dedicated my life to serving others, especially in improving the lives of ordinary working people, most notably, social care workers. Day in and day out, I work with heroes at Penrose Care. I have fought hard for improving working conditions for these heroic social care workers and I will continue to do so. I am also grateful to my fellow volunteers at the Belsize Village Business Association who with me revitalised Belsize Village from being an largely abandoned neighbourhood centre just four years ago into the thriving community centre it is today – savings jobs, creating new jobs and sparking London’s al fresco dining movement. I hope we will inspire others across the United Kingdom to transform their communities for the better. Looking ahead, I will continue to work to transform communities and build up living standards. Thank you Your Majesty for this honour and for your incredible 70 years of service. God Save The Queen!” Penrose Care co-founder, Dr Matthew Knight MBE, said: “On behalf of all the team at Penrose Care I am so proud and delighted at Bob’s award of OBE. Bob has tirelessly served the local and wider community with his work in the care sector, promoting the Living Wage, the Belsize Village Streatery and more lately as a Special Constable. Congratulations and well done!” David S. Percy, resident of Belsize Village since the 1940s and its official historian, said on the occasion: “Congratulations to Robert Stephenson-Padron on being awarded an OBE for his services to social care. Bob has also achieved acclaim as head of the Belsize Village Business Association for his leadership in the establishment of the Belsize Village Streatery.  Widely regarded as a success, the Belsize Village Streatery has led to a comprehensive revitalisation of Belsize Village maintaining many hospitality jobs locally. The Belsize Village terrace square has never been so widely used by local residents and visitors alike.” Media Contact Robert Stephenson-Padron – 020 7435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron OBE, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight MBE, a hospital physician.

Belsize Village, London, UK – The Care Quality Commission (CQC), England’s health and social care regulator has published a new inspection report for Penrose Care, reiterating and expanding our Outstanding rating. The report was published on March 3, 2022 following an inspection taking place on November 25, 2021 and therefore our first inspection since the onset of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020-22. There are 426 (2.1%) home care providers in England rated as Outstanding out of 19,914 and there are 39 (1.1%) Outstanding home care providers in London out of 3,699. Following the report, Penrose Care Manager director Robert Stephenson-Padron made the following statement: “The health regulator’s expansion of Penrose Care’s Outstanding rating, despite the immense challenges from the Global Pandemic and Brexit further confirms the exceptionalism and heroism of Penrose Care. A special thank you to our co-founder Dr Matthew Knight MBE and all the heroes I work with, especially manager Olga Garcia, who surely is the best social care logistics expert in Europe, or possibly the world. We have achieved so much in 10 years: 1) Having no Covid staff or client deaths during the Global Pandemic of 2020-22; 2) Starting the UK’s al fresco dining movement after Lockdown 1 via the Belsize Village Streatery and successfully revitalising Belsize Village as the managing organisation of the Belsize Village Business Association; 3) Having delivered PPE to health providers during the national shortage during Lockdown 1; 4) Innovating through pet therapy via our amazing feline colleagues Pelusita and Quita; 5) Twice being named the Most Outstanding Home care provider in the world; 6) Spreading our wisdom to numerous foreign governments working to tackle their own care crises; 7) Twice being awarded by the Living Wage Foundation for our work promoting the Living Wage movement; 8) Having transformed Britain’s social care sector single handedly in 2014 by causing the minimum wage to be enforced in our sector and 9) Pioneering labour ethics in the UK’s home care sector once mired by systemic criminality and exploitation prior to the reforms we initiated.” Dr Matthew Knight MBE, co-founder and non-executive director of Penrose Care, said following the report: “I am so proud to see the continued dedication and hard work of the Penrose Care team reflected in the latest CQC report. Their dedication to care is inspiring.” Olga Garcia, Penrose Care manager, who was instrumental in the inspection process, said: “I am very proud to be part of Penrose Care since 2014. During all these years Penrose Care has proved that following the law and doing the job properly is possible. During the Pandemic, the whole team made sure that all of our clients were safe and in excellent company. No matter how many difficulties we had to pass including isolating and replacing workers at great speed, we have been able to do what we always do but with the added confidence that we have the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) and support from an incredible team. I am grateful to be with Penrose Care and to serve our clients during these most challenging times.” Pandemic heroism We are celebrating having no Covid deaths amongst our clients or staff during the Global Pandemic of 2020-22. Indeed, since the pandemic started, we have had only one client contract Coronavirus, asymptomatically and after July 19, 2021 “Freedom Day.” This is a testament to the professionalism of our staff and the speed and foresight of our management. Penrose Care’s stability during the pandemic has given us the resources to help other health and social care providers and our wider community during the pandemic. During Lockdown 1, before the new NHS PPE supply system to health and social care was setup, we delivered PPE to Watford General Hospital and Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead. Pet therapy During the pandemic, Penrose Care has demonstrated innovations in social care especially via the utilisation of pet therapy. Penrose Care’s therapy cat, Pelusita. owned and managed by Olga Garcia spent 9 months with a client with dementia during the Coronavirus pandemic. This substantially improved the client’s quality of life. Further, our office cat, the pet celebrity Quita the Kitty, has continued to lift spirits digitally during the pandemic – work recently praised in the Sun on Sunday newspaper. Quita was also recently named London’s Number 1 Instagram Cat by Time Out London magazine. Technical assistance to foreign governments Penrose Care is known internationally due to its pioneering work on integrating ethical labour practices into its provision of home care services for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Within the UK and in many countries around the world, providing consistent, outstanding social care from care and support workers that receive a Living Wage and generous worker benefits remains an aspiration but is a reality at Penrose Care. Penrose Care was also the organisation that successfully led to the step up of enforcement of the minimum wage laws in home care in the UK after lodging a complaint with the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee in 2014. Prior to this industry-changing action, the minimum wage law was widely flouted by home care providers in the UK. Over the years, Penrose Care has provided technical assistance to numerous governments attempting to solve their own care crises. Since our last CQC inspection prior to the one in November 2021, we hosted the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP) under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Government of Thailand a delegation from Gwangyang, South Korea in June 2019. Revitalisation of Belsize Village The CQC report refers to Penrose Care’s instrumental role in the successful and remarkable revitalisation of its north London community, Penrose Care. As the primary managing organisation of the Belsize Village Business Association (BVBA), Penrose Care launched the Belsize Village Streatery on July 4, 2020. As the first event of its kind in the UK after Lockdown 1 of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Belsize Village Streatery is the pioneer of the UK’s alfresco experiment during the pandemic. The Belsize Village Streatery provided alfresco dining on Belsize Terrace, our village square, allowing the elderly and disabled the ability to dine socially after Lockdown 1. The Belsize Village Streatery not only sparked numerous other streateries across the UK – such as the beautiful streatery in Duke of York Square, Chelsea – it helped save over 100 hospitality jobs in Belsize Village, beautified our village square, saved the village from having any high street business losses during the pandemic and in fact led to the creation of two new businesses, helped transform our once scantily used village square into a vibrant community hub, led to our community’s first ministerial visit in modern history and coincided with our Clean Belsize Village program which eliminated the historic rubbish mound on our village square and drastically cut down on flytipping and littering. On February 11, 2022, Camden Council made the Belsize Village Streatery permanent, the first event of its kind to be made permanent in British history. Widespread recognition The heroism of Penrose Care has been widely recognised. Since our last prior to our November 2021 inspection, Penrose Care was named the Most Outstanding Homecare Provider in the World in December 2019. Further in October 2020, Penrose Care’s co-founder was granted a MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for pandemic heroism to the NHS and our managing director was thanked by Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, on September 1, 2021 for sparking the UK’s “al fresco experiment” via the Belsize Village Streatery, an event originally intended to allow the elderly and disabled to dine safely after Lockdown 1 of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Media Contact Robert Stephenson-Padron – 020 7435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight MBE, a hospital physician.

Belsize Village, London, UK – On Freedom Day, Penrose Care is celebrating our users of services being COVID-19 free since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 and other acts of heroism of our organisation. On this celebration, Penrose Care managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron said: “There will be no changes to Penrose Care’s infection control procedures today. On ‘Freedom Day’, we are celebrating our clients being COVID-19 free since the start of the pandemic: 0 cases! This is a testament to the professionalism of our staff and the speed and foresight of our management. Penrose Care’s stability during the pandemic has given us the resources to help other health and social care providers and our wider community during the pandemic. During Lockdown 1, before the new NHS PPE supply system to health and social care was setup, we delivered PPE to Watford General Hospital and Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead. As the primary managing organisation of the Belsize Village Business Association (BVBA), Penrose Care launched the Belsize Village Streatery on July 4, 2020. As the first event of its kind in the UK after Lockdown 1 of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Belsize Village Streatery is the pioneer of the UK’s alfresco experiment during the pandemic. The Belsize Village Streatery provided alfresco dining on Belsize Terrace, our village square, allowing the elderly and disabled the ability to dine socially after Lockdown 1. The Belsize Village Streatery not only sparked numerous other streateries across the UK – such as the beautiful streatery in Duke of York Square, Chelsea – it helped save over 100 hospitality jobs in Belsize Village, beautified our village square, saved the village from having any high street business losses during the pandemic and in fact led to the creation of two new businesses, helped transform our once scantily used village square into a vibrant community hub, led to our community’s first ministerial visit in modern history and coincided with our Clean Belsize Village program which eliminated the historic rubbish mound on our village square and drastically cut down on flytipping and littering. Penrose Care’s work during the Coronavirus pandemic has saved lives and has brought joy to so many people by making Belsize Village greener, cleaner and more accessible. A huge congratulations to the Penrose Care family on a job well done – you are all heroes. A special thanks to Penrose Care’s co-founder Dr Matthew Knight MBE whose insights in early 2020 led us to invest in PPE and hand sanitiser before the nationwide shortages – surely saving lives. And a special thank you to our frontline manager Olga Garcia whose speed in isolating staff and replacing isolated staff meant no onward infections to our users and no missed visits – surely saving lives. Penrose Care’s ability to remain COVID-19 free for so long is a badge of honour we will be able to look back on with pride, forever.” During the celebration, Penrose Care manager Olga Garcia said: “During the Coronavirus pandemic, six of our social care workers, including myself, had to self-isolate after been in contact with a Covid positive person, usually a member of our household. As soon as such cases were reported, I ensured that quick action was taken to prevent onward infections and maintain continuity of care. On each occasion, I also informed all the impacted users of services in contact with such workers and encouraged them to proceed with a PCR test – clients were always forthcoming. I want to thank my fellow management and frontline colleagues for their heroism during this terrible pandemic. We’re not out of the woods yet and we will continue serving through the remainder and after of the pandemic with humility and professionalism.” One of our frontline heroes, senior social care worker Sara Albero, on Freedom Day commented: “2020 and 2021 were very stressful for me. The pandemic was difficult for us and our clients, but I felt very safe at the same time. Penrose Care did an amazing job keeping all of us safe.” On June 14, 2021, after our most recent staff member completed their self-isolation, a senior public health strategist at Camden and Islington Public Health praised Penrose Care’s infection control measures: “Thank you for letting us know that your care worker has successfully completed her isolation and that there has been no onward transmission. This does indeed demonstrate the effectiveness of your infection control measures, and the enormous impact that this has on vulnerable clients.” Graphics Media Contact Robert Stephenson-Padron – 020 7435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight MBE, a hospital physician.

Belsize Village, London, UK: Following the UK Supreme Court’s judgement in favour of Mencap in Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake this morning, Penrose Care’s managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron, a long-time advocate for the ethical treatment of home care workers, made the following statement: “It is a very disappointing day and it is especially sad the Supreme Court would make such a ruling amidst the country’s social care workers risking their lives in the service of others during a global pandemic. For many years, Penrose Care was one of only a handful of providers that fully complied with the prevailing, prior to the previous Court of Appeal ruling, interpretation of the national minimum wage law for sleep-ins and were hoping for a Supreme Court ruling that would force our peers to join us. Penrose Care’s heroic care workers however can rest assured that we will not be lowering their sleep-in pay to be in line with our peers. We will rather double our efforts to explain to potential clients why ethical labour standards in care lead to better outcomes. For example, Penrose Care, the UK’s pioneer in the ethical provision of home care, has had zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 among clients since the start of the global pandemic, and I attribute this mostly to our ethical workplace practices.” Media Contact Robert Stephenson-Padron – 020 7435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight MBE, a hospital physician.

Belsize Village, London, UK: Penrose Care is overjoyed to announce that its co-founder and non-executive director, Dr. Matthew Knight, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Dr Matthew Knight MBE

Dr. Knight’s primary role outside of Penrose Care is as a respiratory consultant at West Herts Hospitals where he has played a pivotal role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. Notably, Dr. Knight has led a fontline team of medical professionals to prevent hospital admissions through virtual monitoring and consultations of patients at home. Over 10,000 virtual consultations have taken place via this “virtual hospital” which has cared for over 1,250 patients. The team leader that he is, Dr. Matthew Knight heralded his health and social care colleagues following the honour: “I am very humbled to have been awarded an MBE. Many sacrificed so much during this year. I am proud of my many friends and colleagues at West Herts Hospitals and Penrose Care who were far more heroic than I could ever be. There is much to do to ensure those in need get the health and social care that they require and I look forward to continuing to work towards this aim.” Following the announcement by the Cabinet Office, Penrose Care co-founder and managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron said: “I cannot think of a British medical professional more deserving of a Queen’s honour than my Penrose Care co-founder Dr Matthew Knight. Together, we have built the UK’s pioneer of the ethical provision of home care which has garnered international recognition. “At the start of COVID-19 pandemic, under Dr Knight’s guidance, Penrose Care made special pre-cautionary investments to prepare for a worst-case pandemic scenario. His leadership on this front led to us having zero COVID-19 cases among clients to date. “From this position of strength we have been able to look outward during these difficult times, delivering donated PPE to a local hospital and hospice and saving over 100 jobs in our local community by running pandemic recovery and safety measures in Belsize Village which sparked a local economic boom amidst one of the worst national recessions on record. I hope Dr Knight is proud. His Penrose Care family is certainly proud of him.” Under Dr. Knight and Mr. Stephenson-Padron’s leadership, Penrose Care has made many achievements:

• In 2012, Penrose Care became one of the first four home care providers in the UK to become Accredited Living Wage Employers, sparking the Living Wage movement in home care and being named a Living Wage Champion in 2016 and 2018.
• In 2013 and 2014, Penrose Care successfully lobbied the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office to get the HMRC to improve enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, completely transforming the social care sector in the UK. Penrose Care continues to actively work with UNISON the labour union to improve working conditions for social care workers.
• In 2017 and 2019, Penrose Care was named the Most Outstanding Homecare Provider in the World.
• Since its founding, Penrose Care has attracted international research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
• In 2018, Penrose Care became one of the founding members of the Belsize Village Business Association which reversed a 2014-18 economic decline, successfully revitalised and beautified Belsize Village, and saved over 100 jobs during the summer of 2020 and sparked an “economic explosion” via its Belsize Village Streatery project. Via its “Clean Belsize Village”, Penrose Care helped clean-up Belsize Village’s most pressing waste blights, including one that had mired the community for over 10 years.
• In 2019, Penrose Care became one of the first 16 private businesses in London to be accredited under this landmark standard for ethical organisations.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, as of October 12, 2020, Penrose Care has had zero client cases.

ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight MBE, a hospital physician. About the Queen’s Birthday Honours The British honours system recognises people who have:

• made achievements in public life
• committed themselves to serving and helping Britain

They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do. Whether someone gets an honour – and the honour they get – is decided by an honours committee. The committee’s recommendations go to the Prime Minister and then to the Queen, who awards the honour.

Belsize Village, London, UK: Penrose Care was honoured Tuesday night, December 3, 2019 to receive international recognition for innovations in the ethical provision of home care care at the 2019 Global Over 50s Housing Awards. Penrose Care was recognised as the “The Most Outstanding Innovative Homecare Provider in the World.” Penrose Care is known internationally for excellence in the home care segment of social care for the elderly and persons with disabilities through its ethical practices and many years of combating widespread criminality in the UK’s social care industry. Over the years, Penrose Care has over the years received research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand to learn about Penrose Care’s ethical labour practices, how Penrose Care makes them possible financially, and how it leads to better social care outcomes. Penrose Care has been involved in various labour and social care reports and studies including from the University of Strathclyde (Scotland), Itami City Council (Japan), the Equality & Human Rights Commission (UK), The New Policy Institute, and the Work Foundation / Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Penrose Care’s ethical workplace practices include paying the London Living Wage, a voluntary wage rate set by the Mayor of London once a year which is meant to be the lowest a person can be paid to still live a decently quality of life in London (currently £10.75/hour vs the mandatory National Living Wage of £8.21/hour);  private medical insurance through Vitality Health; an Occupational Sickpay Scheme that allows workers to receive full pay for up to 10 days a year so workers do not feel compelled to work go to work when sick – supporting public health; free taxis home for workers going home late at night to help ensure their safety and give them that extra boost of relaxation; and a variety of other labour initiatives. In 2019, Penrose Care became one of the first 16 private businesses to be accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard – a program that certifies London’s most ethical employers. The host of the awards, in invoking Penrose Care as “The Most Outstanding Innovative Home Care Provider in the World in 2019”, stated: “The man [Robert Stephenson-Padron] who has been an outstanding innovator in this country for a long time and who has often taken an unpopular public stance in terms of the remuneration of his staff [and] has demonstrated the sort of leadership we think this industry requires. The Most Outstanding Innovative Home Care Provider in the World by a long way in the past year is Penrose Care.” Following receiving the award, Penrose Care managing director said: “I want to thank all of Penrose Care’s staff that make running an ethical home care provider a reality day in and day out. We’re also known for our famous pets – Quita the Kitty, Coco Lee the parrot and Fanta the leopard gecko – we thank them for bringing joy to our office staff and our wider community. We never thought a little home care provider in north London would garner so much attention. Just this year we have been visited by the Government of Thailand and a municipality of South Korea. They visited us because over the years Penrose Care has proven that to consistently provide excellent social care services, you need to look after your staff. We will continue to innovate but we expect that innovations of the human spirit will continue to be the core of our innovations in the future.” Other award recipients for different award categories included national home care chain Bluebird Care which received a UK-based award and Barclays Bank PLC. ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician. About the Global Over 50s Housing Awards The Global Over 50s Housing Awards (“Global Awards”) have been running since 2011 as one of the pre-eminent international awards in health and social care. They were created to celebrate and reward the best individual and company performances in Seniors Housing/Care Trends, Healthcare Innovation, IT, and Medical Tourism sectors worldwide. The Awards recognise the rapid growth of these sectors worldwide, and the capacity of individuals to influence and set new performance standards across countries, regions and the world. The Awards focus on elevated performance; the creation of new business models; contrarian thinking; recognising and embracing new trends; market leadership; inspirational performance and the elevation of customer experience.

Belsize Village, London, UK: Penrose Care is honoured to announce that it is one of the first sixteen private businesses to be accredited with the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard, an initiative of the Greater London Authority to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care was provisionally accredited at the launch of the Good Work Standard on July 29, 2019 and fully accredited on September 24, 2019 following full completion of city hall’s rigorous screening process. The Good Work Standard assesses organisations on four pillars: 1) Pay & Conditons (of which the real Living Wage is a focal point), 2) Workplace Wellbeing, 3) Skills and Development, and 4) Diversity and Recruitment. Achievement of the standard certifies that the organisation’s meet the “benchmark for the best employment standards.” Following the accreditation, Penrose Care’s managing director said: “Penrose Care’s accreditation with the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard is a further stamp of approval of Penrose Care’s pioneering work in the ethical provision of home care for the elderly and disabled. Our journey to accreditation began on July 17, 2018 when City Hall was developing the program. Penrose Care has demonstrated that ethical labour standards are both morally right and good business decisions. Ethical labour standards promote staff’s mental wellbeing, which aid staff in providing the highest levels of customer service. Penrose Care wishes the Mayor of London all the best in his efforts to promote decent work in London and we are honoured to be part of these efforts.” At the launch of the Good Work Standard on July 29, 2019, Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn said: “Tackling poverty and inequality is one of the reasons I got into politics. London and the whole country are still simply too unequal – and it is bad for our both our economy and our society. I want to make London a fairer city by ensuring that all Londoners get the opportunities that our city gave to me when I was growing up. “The Good Work Standard will play a key role in tackling poverty and inequality in London. I’m calling on employers across our city to play their part – to pay the London Living Wage, to pursue greater diversity at senior levels, to achieve the highest standards in wellbeing and training, and to ensure that their workers have a voice in the workplace. “Employers will make these changes because they want to do the right thing, but also because they will see great benefit in terms of recruitment and productivity. City Hall will now do everything possible to ensure that many more employers – in every sector and of every size – sign up to the Good Work Standard.” ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron, Managing Director robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard fairness@london.gov Link to Mayor of London’s press release launching the Good Work Standard. About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician. About the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard The Mayor’s Good Work Standard sets the benchmark for the best employment standards and helps employers contribute to a fairer and more inclusive London economy. This means the economy works for all Londoners and more Londoners can access good jobs, in workplaces that support their health and wellbeing. To make this happen, the Mayor is working with businesses like ours to celebrate excellent work practices and assist businesses in adopting best practice approaches by bringing together a range of support and resources. By signing up to the Mayor’s Good Work Standard, employers signal that they are committed to healthy, fair and inclusive workplaces. We know this is an important step in attracting and retaining a diverse, talented and successful workforce and we hope to assist other businesses in realising these benefits.

Belsize Village, London, UK: Penrose Care’s therapy cat-in-training Quita the Kitty has captured hearts in Scotland following her visit to Edinburgh June 18-20, 2019 with the Scottish Parliament featuring Quita on their Instagram page on July 30, 2019 and the video of her trip reaching over 200,000 views on TikTok as of August 1, 2019. Quita arrived in Edinburgh the night of June 18th, following a stay in Leeds, England on June 17th and June 18th, and spent the evening in the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian. On June 19th, Quita visited the grounds of St Mary’s Cathedral; then hiked up the Carlton Hill to see the Nelson Monument and the National Monument of Scotland. After that, Quita spent a good deal of time sitting outside the Scottish Parliament where many passerby got a therapy pet boost by petting her. She then paid her respects to Edinburgh’s historic dog, Greyfriars Bobby, before spending the early evening back at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian. Quita spent the later evening in a pub in Williams Street where two members of staff said they were having a terrible day but said after spending time with Quita, their bad day had turned into a good day. Quita returned to London via the LNER rail service the morning of June 20th following a brief visit to the lower grounds where you can see Edinburgh Castle. Following Quita’s visit to Edinburgh, Penrose Care managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron, who accompanied Quita on her trip, made the following statement: “It was very heart-warming to see Quita bring so much joy to so many different people while she was in Edinburgh. At the same time, she visibly had a very enjoyable time – particularly liking travelling on the train to and from Edinburgh. We believe her training is going very well indeed.” Quita’s training continues Quita will not be ready for formal pet therapy until she reaches one year of age in January 2020. Until then, Quita will continue to train with her outdoor adventures, morale boosting visits to organisations, and ad hoc invited therapy sessions which are all part of her training. These training exercises help Quita to get used to changing her environments and receiving attention from strangers. Why Pet Therapy? Pets have “tremendous healing power,” says Dr. Edward Creagan of the Mayo Clinic in the United States in a 2010 informational video about the health benefits of pets (a 2016 version is also available). He says talking about pets creates an atmosphere of “healing, peace and serenity.” He further says, “We now know that when you look into the eyes of that cat, when you stroke that dog, when you hold that animal, there is a surge of hormones deep within the center of the brain. And these hormones provoke a tremendous feeling of peace, of serenity, of tranquillity. They decrease our blood pressure, they decrease our pulse, they lessen our depression.” Quita is part of Penrose Care’s long track record of innovations in social care that improve outcomes for the elderly and disabled persons we support. Penrose Care is already widely known as the UK’s pioneer of ethical home care, having become one of the first home care providers in the UK to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer in 2012, successfully campaigning for enforcement of the national minimum wage in home care in 2014, and becoming one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard launched this week. As a result of Penrose Care’s innovations in the ethical provision of home care, it has received seven international research visits. Quita was a co-host to the most recent two visits: from the Government of Thailand and one from a municipality in South Korea. ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron, Managing Director robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. In July 2019, Penrose Care was named as one of the first 16 private businesses accredited with the Mayor of London’s new Good Work Standard to promote decent work in London. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician. About Quita the Kitty One of Penrose Care’s colleagues is a kitten, Quita the Kitty, born in January 2019 and acquired by Penrose Care in March 2019. She is an office cat, adventure cat and training to be a therapy cat. Quita the Kitty has already visited all eight of London’s Royal Parks, potentially the first cat or one of the first few to ride on one of the Thames Clipper boats, and has provided therapy services to two persons with cerebral palsy. Quita the Kitty has provided workplace morale boosting visits to the Apple Store Covent Garden, Botwell House Catholic Primary School, Brewdog Seven Dials, The Espresso Room Covent Garden, Karma Bread, the Living Wage Foundation, the New Economic Foundation, Oliver’s Village Cafe, OmniDe architects, and Persephone Books. Quita has travelled outside of London, having visited Brighton, Dover, Edinburgh, Hitchin, Leeds in the UK; and Calias, Troyes, Gréoux-les-Bains (Provence), Valensole (Provence), Champeaux, Melun, and Paris in France. Quita the Kitty has met actor/comedian Ricky Gervais, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Her Majesty the Queen’s former press secretary Charles Anson. Quita the Kitty, at @quitathekitty, is popular on social media having over 250,000 likes on TikTok, over 27,500 karma points on Reddit, holds the status as a Glorious Imgurian on Imgur, and has over 5,500 followers on Instagram.  Quita the Kitty is also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Quita the Kitty’s first news article was published on June 3, 2019 by Sunny Skyz: “4-Month-Old Therapy Kitten Comforts Woman With Cerebral Palsy”.  She appeared in the Camden New Journal on July 4, 2019: “Feline blue? Kitten goes on city wide adventures for therapy cat training”. Quita the Kitty’s first foray into mainstream media occurred on July 7, 2019 when she appeared in the Evening Standard, “Kitten training to be Camden’s first ‘therapy cat’ captures hearts across London”. Wamiz, a site dedicated to pets, published an article about Quita the Kitty on July 9, 2019, titled “London care-worker training cat to be a therapist”.

Belsize Village, London, UK: On June 27, 2019, Penrose Care was delighted to host its seventh international research delegation. The research delegation was from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP) under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Government of Thailand. The purpose of the research visit was to learn best practice with respect to social care for persons with disabilities. Following the visit, Penrose Care managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron made this statement: “Penrose Care was honoured to receive such a large research delegation from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Government of Thailand. Penrose Care’s international recognition is a testament to our belief that the regard for the dignity of the human person and outstanding social care underpinned by ethical labour standards are universal aspirations. I was particularly impressed that personal assistants in Thailand have government mandated training, one month of job shadowing and a compulsory professional register. These are advances over and above what the UK has achieved. We look forward to working with the Government of Thailand in the future, should they require our assistance.” Penrose Care is known internationally due to its pioneering work on integrating ethical labour practices into its provision of home care services for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Within the UK and in many countries around the world, providing consistent, outstanding social care from care and support workers that receive a Living Wage and generous worker benefits remains an aspiration but is a reality at Penrose Care. Penrose Care was also the organisation that successfully led to the step up of enforcement of the minimum wage laws in home care in the UK after lodging a complaint with the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee in 2014. Prior to this industry-changing action, the minimum wage law was widely flouted by home care providers in the UK. Penrose Care continues to crusade for care and support workers to be paid at least the minimum wage for sleep-ins – something Penrose Care continues to do en lieu of clarification from the Supreme Court in The Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake. The head of the Thai delegation, Mrs. Nata-orn Indeesri, Director of Division of Strategies and Plans, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP), made this statement following the research visit: “I would like to say that we are honoured to be invited here at Penrose Care. There [is] a lot of valuable knowledge to be gained here and we plan to utilise it in the best way that we can. We know that your organisation aim[s] to help improve elderly care and disabilities care in the UK. We all here agree and totally support on what you are trying to achieve. We hope that you will continue to provide and set standard[s] for best-quality care for both the elderly with or without disabilities. We thank you for the warm welcome. We are very appreciat[ive] for the exchange of experiences and best practice between us. I hope that there will be future collaboration between our organisation.” Penrose Care’s trainee therapy pet cat, Quita the Kitty, received a lot of interest from the delegation. Penrose Care manager Olga Garcia made the following comment with respect to Quita’s work: “I’ve seen Quita bring joy to a person with cerebral palsy, to a work whose father passed away and neede support, a professional worker that was having a bad day and so many other people’ Quita is changing lives with her presence and this is just the beginning of her journey.” Following the research discussion of the talk. Mrs. Indeesri gifted to Mr. Stephenson-Padron clothing made from persons with disabilities in Thailand.         ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron, Managing Director robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia.  The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care.  Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician. Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEP) under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Government of Thailand The DEP is a government agency responsible for persons with disabilities in Thailand. It falls under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Government of Thailand. About Quita the Kitty One of Penrose Care’s colleagues is a kitten, Quita the Kitty, born in January 2019 and acquired by Penrose Care in March 2019. She is an office cat, adventure cat and training to be a therapy cat. Quita the Kitty has already visited all eight of London’s Royal Parks, potentially the first cat or one of the first few to ride on one of the Thames Clipper boats, and has provided therapy services to two persons with cerebral palsy. Quita the Kitty has provided workplace morale boosting visits to the Apple Store Covent Garden, Brewdog Seven Dials, The Espresso Room Covent Garden, Karma Bread, the Living Wage Foundation, the New Economic Foundation, Oliver’s Village Cafe, OmniDe architects, and Persephone Books. Quita the Kitty has met actor/comedian Ricky Gervais, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Her Majesty the Queen’s former press secretary Charles Anson. Quita the Kitty, at @quitathekitty, is popular on social media having over 113,000 likes on TikTok, over 22,000 karma points on Reddit, holds the status as a Glorious Imgurian on Imgur, and has over 3,500 followers on Instagram.  Quita the Kitty is also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Quita the Kitty’s first news article was published on June 3, 2019 by Sunny Skyz: “4-Month-Old Therapy Kitten Comforts Woman With Cerebral Palsy”.

Belsize Village, London, UK: On June 6, 2019, Penrose Care was delighted to host its sixth international research delegation. This research delegation was from the municipality of Gwangyang, South Korea, consisting of two nurse-civil servants specialising in health policy Young-ok Seo and In-soon Park; their translator Dr. Gunwoo Kim, and a travel guide. On the Penrose Care side, the research delegation was hosted by Penrose Care’s managers Robert Stephenson-Padron, Olga Garcia, Nikoletta Makouli, and Quita the Kitty, a trainee pet therapy cat. The purpose of Ms. Seo and Ms. Park’s visit was to inform the development of dementia care in Gwangyang-si, South Korea. Following the visit, the delegation made the following statement on June 16, 2019: “We were very impressed with how much effort the carers from a private company put into improving the quality of life for patients. In particular we felt that Penrose Care was a thought leader in their belief that the staff had to be happy in order to be able to provide good quality care to patients” – Young-ok Seo and In-soon Park from Gwangyang-si, South Korea Following the visit, Penrose Care managing director Robert Stephenson-Padron made the following statement: “Penrose Care is honoured and humbled when it receives research delegations from abroad. It is a demonstration that respect for the dignity of the human person is a universal value stemming from the love we have for our parents and grandparents, and our siblings and our friends. I hope our commitment to the highest quality of care and its link to ethical labour standards continues to inspire policy makers and health and social care workers around the world. I send all my best wishes to our brothers and sisters in South Korea as they work to tackle their own challenges associated with ageing societies.”

ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron, Managing Director robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk 0207 435 2644 About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services in London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities such as acquired brain injury and elderly persons including those with dementia.  The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the United Kingdom to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care was named the Living Wage Champion for the London region in 2016 and for Industry Leadership in 2018 by the Living Wage Foundation. Penrose Care’s ethical social care framework has garnered international acclaim, resulting in Penrose Care receiving research delegations from Canada, China and Japan. Penrose Care is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, the highest rating given by England’s health and social care regulator. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care.  Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London – between Hampstead, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage / Finchley Road – and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician. About Gwangyang Gwangyang is home to beautiful tourism resources including the famed Baegunsan Mountain and Seomjingang River. The city produces high quality farm products and promotes new growth industries based on the Port of Gwangyang and the Gwangyang Steel Plant. These make Gwangyang a city with outstanding business conditions and great development potential. The city is dedicated to active, innovative public services so that Gwangyang will be a global city, a great city for nurturing children, the happiest city in Korea, and the number one city in the Jeonnam Province.

London, UK: Penrose Care is honoured to announce that its co-founder and managing director, Robert Stephenson-Padron, was adjudicated as the “Most Outstanding Leader in the Care Sector in the UK” at the 2014 UK Over 50s Housing Awards ceremony held at the Westbury Hotel, London on the night of November 13^th. The ceremony, held jointly with the Global Over 50s Housing Healthcare Awards, recognise excellence in the health and social care industry across the globe. On the occasion of receiving the award, Robert Stephenson-Padron said: “I am honoured to receive this prestigious award. Thank you to the Penrose Care team, especially our co-founder, Dr. Matthew Knight, who embarked with me in 2012 to build Penrose Care – the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK. At the awards ceremony with some of the world’s most prestigious care firms, I called on those who can, to pay their workers a Living Wage as Penrose Care does. The UK’s care sector has sadly become known for low standards and low pay – this needs to change. By paying care workers a Living Wage vs poverty wages, we will start to transform social care into a career of choice rather than a job for those without choice. Indeed, at Penrose Care, we have shown that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation must be caring. To my peers, I noted a recent public testimony of the family member of one of our dementia care clients that exemplifies why ethics in care matters. Before finding Penrose Care, her mother used a home care agency referred by her local authority that was meant to be their ‘best provider’. Despite the designation, within just six months, her mother was sent 35 workers with corresponding stress and dismay. The story improved however, after finding Penrose Care through our work with civil society charity Citizens UK. In the nearly six months supported by Penrose Care, her mother was seen by 1 primary worker and 2 back up workers – just 3 workers. By being ethical, Penrose Care is able to attract and retain special people with a vocation to care – ethics in care matters!” Penrose Care is based in Belsize Village in Hampstead, a region in the Borough of Camden, London. On the occasion of Mr. Stephenson-Padron receiving the award, the Mayor of Camden Lazzaro Pietragnoli stated: “I would like to congratulate Mr. Robert Stephenson-Padron on receiving the prestigious UK Over 50s Housing Award 2014 for ‘The Most Outstanding Leader in the Care Sector in the UK’. As the founder and managing director of Camden-based Penrose Care, Robert has been committed not only to providing high quality standards of care for his customers but also to implement the best practices for his employees. In a fast growing sector, where too often the focus is on containing the cost of the service rather than improving its quality, Robert and Penrose Care are a testimony that a private company may be unilaterally committed to provide the London Living Wage to its employees, to offer them specific and formal training, to guarantee to them set hours and pay them for travelling time. Robert’s decision to comply with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter and with the Living Wage Foundation’s guidelines is really commendable, especially since Penrose is one of the few companies in the sector to do so. This award is a testimony of his determination and enthusiasm in improving the quality of care in Northern London and a very encouraging message for everyone in the sector.” The award ceremony included a variety of prestigious care firms from around the world including British residential care provider Barchester Healthcare, Nautical Lands Group of Canada, World Class Retirement Complex of the Philippines; world class health care investment firms Oaktree Capital and HCP; and British namesakes including Lloyds Bank and Knight Frank estate agents. ENDS Media Contact Penrose Care Robert Stephenson-Padron robert.padron@penrosecare.co.uk +44 (0)207 435 2644 Notes to the editor Additional photographs from the UK Housing Over 50s Awards pending and expected on 17 November 2014. About the UK Over 50s Housing Awards The UK Over 50s Housing Awards have been created to celebrate and reward the best individual and company performances in the over-50s housing sector in the UK. The Awards recognise the rapid growth of the over-50s housing sector in the UK, and the capacity of individuals to influence and set new performance standards across the UK. The Awards focus on elevated performance; the creation of new business models; contrarian thinking; recognising and embracing new trends; market leadership; inspirational performance and the elevation of the customer experience. The awards have been running since 2009. 20 key national awards represent the pinnacle of performance in 2013 – 2014. In 2014, over 978 entries have been received. An additional 321 nominations have been made by third parties. About Robert Stephenson-Padron Robert Stephenson-Padron, aged 30, is a healthcare industry expert and former public servant. Prior to starting Penrose Care in 2012 with Dr. Matthew Knight, he was a healthcare research analyst at Merrill Lynch (2010-12), which he joined from Barclays Capital/Barclays PLC (2007-10). From 2003-2006, he served as a commissioner of the City of Berkeley, California, USA. Mr. Padron holds a BA in Economics from UC Berkeley and a Master in Economics & Finance from the Universidad de Navarra. Mr. Padron, growing up jointly in Gonzales, California and the northern cities of San Luis Obispo County, California, attended Gonzales High School and Templeton High School. About Penrose Care Penrose Care is an ethical provider of home care services London, United Kingdom to adults with disabilities and elderly persons, including those with dementia. The company operates upon a fundamental belief that to promote a caring workforce, the organisation itself must be caring. As the pioneer of ethics in home care in the UK, Penrose Care in 2012 became one of the first four providers in the country to become an Accredited Living Wage Employer and in 2013 the first independent sector provider to be compliant with Citizens UK’s landmark Social Care Charter. Penrose Care’s ethical approach promotes higher quality social care workers and low staff turnover which in turn results in excellent care. Penrose Care is headquartered in Belsize Village, north London and was founded by Robert Stephenson-Padron, a healthcare research analyst, and Dr. Matthew Knight, a hospital physician.