Essex-based Caring Homes has been named as one of the Top 20 Recommended Large Care Home Groups 2017 by the carehome.co.uk website.

The Colchester company received a Top 20 place in carehome.co.uk’s annual awards which recognise the best care homes groups in the UK, based on reviews on its site.

Caring Homes managing director Laird MacKay said: “We are thrilled to receive this award. It is a great reflection of the hard work colleagues across our homes put in which has obviously made such an impression on both residents and their families who are giving us such good reviews.

“It’s a real achievement to be recognised for being in the top 20 most recommended care home groups by the very people we care for.”

Carehome.co.uk is the leading UK care home website with more than 16m visitors annually and 45,000 care home reviews.

Caring Homes, based on the Severall Industrial Estate in Colchester, is an independent care homes group with a portfolio of care homes throughout England, Scotland and Wales. It was founded in 1994 by registered nurse Helena Jeffery and her son Paul Jeffery.