Scheme wins at awards

THE Richmond Fellowship Dumfries and Galloway Shared Lives Scheme were successful at a national awards ceremony. They won the Impact Award at the 2025 Shared Lives Plus Shared Living Awards. The scheme has been recognised for its person-centred approach, transformative outcomes and strong community impact. Although small in scale, the scheme is vast in impact – supporting people to enjoy holidays, social activities and meaningful day-to-day experiences, while building belonging and community. Shared lives coordinator Helen Robertson received praise in the nomination for her exceptional leadership. Helen manages the service day-to-day, leading with dedication and compassion, ensuring that carers and supported people alike feel valued, celebrated, and supported to reach their full potential. Her selfless approach and commitment to nurturing relationships have been credited with shaping the service into the life-changing support it is today. The award nomination also highlighted the achievements of some of the individuals supported by the scheme: Service manager Tracy Ross said: “It isn’t about a single moment of impact, but a culture that has been quietly transforming lives day in and day out. Ours is a small service in numbers, but vast in heart.”