Centacare-North East Community Care (NECC) has excelled in the Quest newspapers Business Achievers Awards, winning in two major categories.

The Northgate-based service, part of the Centacare’s Community Support Services directorate, outshone four others to win the Community Service and Non-Profit Organisations Award.

As a further feather in the cap longstanding employee Elaine Andrew, who has been with the service since its inception, won the Employee Excellence Award across the entire 19 categories.

Centacare-NECC’s Service Manager Jenny Totterdell, still riding the excitement of it all, said it was a true reflection of the service offered.

“I think it’s fabulous recognition for hard work, but it also reflects the clients that we support, who are really happy with the service that we do provide,” she said.

“The clients are all saying their so proud of us and it’s just wonderful.”

Centacare-NECC has around 350 clients and operates 6 days a week. In addition to the 23 people who visit the centre daily they provide community supports to people living in their own home through domestic assistance, shopping, in home respite and a veteran’s homecare program.

For drop-in clients a typical day consists of morning tea followed by activities or a concert and then a three course lunch. A bus returns them to their carers after 2.00pm.

Mrs Andrews award is timely given the Centacare-NECC service, which originally started at Clayfield, is soon to celebrate its 21st birthday.

She has been there for all that time and said her role was to pitch in where needed.

“I’m a Community Worker, I haven’t got any stars and stripes but I do have a bus license,” Mrs Andrews said.

“In our job you’ve got to be able to do everything, there’s no such thing as saying ‘it’s not my job’.

“I work in kitchen two days a week and while today their having scones and little tarts for morning tea, yesterday I spent all day making tomato relish, jam and what not for our 21st we’re in the coming weeks.

As to the award she admits to being very surprised.

“It is just starting to sink in. It’s great but I’m not one to push myself really.

“I used to live at Redcliffe and one day coming across the bridge I thought ‘what the hell am I doing this for?’ There must be a lot of people I could swap jobs with but once you get here the ‘oldies’ grow on you. I say that but then I’m pretty old myself.

“It’s a sad job but it’s also a great job and I’ve had a lot of fun,” she said.

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