A 29-year-old care home worker has been praised for her dedication, hard work and passion throughout the pandemic.

Rachel Yeoman, business administrator at Care UK’s Cumberland, has been named a ‘Care UK Hero’ for going above and beyond during the outbreak.

The nomination was shared as part of a nationwide search for Care UK Heroes throughout its 122 care homes.

Throughout the pandemic, Rachel has gone "far beyond her duties" to provide extra support to the team and residents.

On top of helping the home manager by being constantly on-call during evenings or weekends, she has set up Zoom and Skype calls for residents and managed ‘garden bookings’ once lockdown restrictions were eased, allowing relatives to visit their loved ones as "safely and often as possible."

Rachel Yeoman said: “I’m so thrilled to have been chosen as a Care UK Hero.

"I’m incredibly proud of the environment we have created here at Cumberland, and although challenging, the past few months have reinforced just how important the service we provide is for residents and their families.

"I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such a fantastic team.”

Sunita Aucharaz, home manager at Cumberland, added: “The past few months have been challenging for the whole team, but Rachel’s extensive experience certainly made a positive difference.

“Her support throughout the pandemic has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I can’t thank her enough for everything she did.

"Whether it’s helping with colleague levels or organising ‘garden bookings’, nothing is ever too much trouble for her; we’re incredibly lucky to have her in our team.

“From our nurses and lifestyle coordinators, to our housekeepers and chefs, everyone has done a tremendous job over the past few months, and I cannot thank Rachel and the rest of the team enough for their hard work and for continuing to make Cumberland a wonderful place to live.”