Mainstay DRP charity employee John wins Best Newcomer gong

Mainstay DRP charity employee John wins Best Newcomer gong

26 April 2023

A DOWNPATRICK-BASED disability charity employee was recently named Best Newcomer at the National Learning Disability and Autism Awards.

Several members of Mainstay DRP were nominated for National Learning Disability and Autism Awards, which took place in March.

Staff nominations followed Mainstay DRP’s first Staff Appreciation Day, which was held late last year.

The Appreciation day’s main focus was to take time out to highlight and appreciate all the great work that goes on within the charity.

It included a beautiful array of food, accompanied by a few short presentations about Mainstay’s bright future.

All staff who have been there for 15 years or longer were thanked with a gift, and one senior staff member said they were “so grateful to each and every team member”.

The day also included in-house appreciation awards and every winner was then shortlisted for a National Learning Disabilities and Autism Award.

A Mainstay DRP spokesperson said: “As much as we would have liked to nominate our entire team we had to narrow it down.”

Andy Spence and Ciara Reid were both nominated for best Support Services and Daniel McGarry was nominated for Employee Award.

John Shields has worked for Mainstay DRP for six months and picked up the Best Newcomer award, beating out colleague and fellow nominee Ciara Goodman.

“John is a creative, adaptable and multi-skilled team member with a very positive and friendly attitude,” one judge said.

“He understands the ethos behind supporting housing and supporting adults with a learning disability to live independent, fulfilled and socially-included lives.”

The judges also highlighted John’s fellow assistant support workers, praising Daniel for his “pleasant demeanour” and describing Ciara as a “multi-skilled” and “very flexible” worker.