Magdalen Gardens

Staff and residents at Cumberland Grange care home in Exeter are celebrating because their wonderful colleague, Cosmin Lemnaru, has been named Foundation Champion for the South West division in the Barchester Care Awards 2026. 

The Barchester Charitable Foundation supports older people and other adults living with a disability or mental health condition by helping them to connect or re-connect with others in their local communities.

The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 14,000 residents living in Barchester’s 272 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

Almost 6,000 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Cosmin is over the moon to have been named a divisional winner in recognition of his hard work fundraising for the Foundation. Set up in 2000, this year marks the Charitable Foundation’s 26th year supporting individuals, community groups and small charities all across the country.

As part of Get Barchester Moving Week where people are challenged to move more, Cosmin decided to log his ‘move minutes’ and fundraise by facing his fear of heights to take on the Mürren Via Ferrata, a breath-taking 2.2km cliff edge trail. 

Clipped to a steel safety cable running along the Mürrenfluh cliff face, Cosmin navigated exposed rock ledges, vertical ladders and a wobbly suspension bridge, at one point standing roughly 600 metres above the floor of the Lauterbrunnen Valley with uninterrupted views across to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Regional Director, Cosmin Lemnaru, said: “I can’t believe I have been named the winner for the South West division!  I am so proud and so thankful to everyone who nominated and voted for me.  It means the world to be recognised for doing something I am so passionate about.  The Foundation does such vital work, I’m so happy I was able to challenge myself to take part and in doing so help to support so many people.”

Cosmin will attend a special award ceremony which will take place at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds in October to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Barchester’s many exemplary staff members who work tirelessly to deliver the best care to their residents and patients every day.  There he will find out who will be named Barchester’s National Foundation Champion 2026.

Managing Director of Barchester’s South West division, Duncan Edwards, added: “This is such a brilliant achievement, the whole division is so proud of Cosmin.  He is so dedicated and always go the extra mile, literally.  He faced his fear and took on this fantastic challenge to raise money for the Foundation, he is an absolute superstar!”