Pink Ladies of Colinton up for award

BIG-hearted Linda Campbell and Linda Fraser have been been named among the top care home employees in Scotland.
Linda Campbell and Linda Fraser are up for an awardLinda Campbell and Linda Fraser are up for an award
Linda Campbell and Linda Fraser are up for an award

The caring pair – known as the Pink Ladies of Colinton because of their distinctive and colourful uniforms – are to be invited to a prestigious awards bash celebrating the best of the independent care home sector.

The Magic Moments Club coordinators were nominated in the Meaningful Activity category at the Scottish Care Awards 2018.

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The top award celebrates industry workers who demonstrate an exceptional range of services and add to the quality of care and life for residents.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 16 November at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow by singer, columnist and broadcaster Michelle McManus, with more than 650 people attending.

The two Lindas said they were “delighted” to have been recognised for their work at the Spylaw Road home, adding: “We are very surprised but thrilled and honoured to be chosen as a finalist in these prestigious awards.”

Both have received massive praise from residents and relatives for the level of attention and care given to the people they look after, many of whom are in the latter stages of their lives and present a range of challenges, including dementia, ill-health and other medical problems.

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One testimonial to their efforts came from the family of an OAP with dementia, who spent years sitting in the dark watching television with her curtains drawn and little or no contact with other people.

The Pink Ladies worked tirelessly to gain her trust and gradually helped her gain confidence, leading the pensioner to enjoy the company of others, eventually going on day trips with fellow residents.

Colinton Care Home manager Gordon Philp, who nominated the two Lindas, said: “The residents and families don’t love them – they adore them. They make every moment matter.

“They’ve been instrumental in setting up an ‘adopt a grandparent’ scheme with George Watson’s College and 14 pupils regularly visit.”

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Mr Philp revealed that the pair’s caring ways had even led to a recent donation from the son of an old lady looked after by the Lindas throughout the last months of her life.

He said: “A few weeks ago a man arrived and enjoyed a cup of tea then handed over an envelope with a cheque for £5000 and thanked the home and especially the Pink Ladies for ensuring his mum had real quality of life in her final months. Things like that don’t happen very often.”

The awards have been hailed as a huge success in recognising individuals, teams and companies, who are delivering a high standard of care amid decreasing budgets and a rapidly growing demand for their services.

The care awards will follow a conference with speakers including Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.