A social worker who supports her local church in serving free hot meals every Sunday has been honored for her outstanding contribution to safeguarding. Anita Chiumia, employed in Adult Social Care, is the latest recipient of the Randip Bhogal Safeguarding Award. The award is named after Randip Bhogal, the service manager for Adult Safeguarding Service, who passed away in 2020 at age 53. His brother, Popinder Bhogal, attended the ceremony at County Hall in Preston, where Anita was named overall winner.
Recognition for Compassionate Service
Anita was nominated by her manager for her work in Preston supporting individuals who may be struggling or feeling isolated. In the nomination, her manager highlighted her "consistent kindness, humility, person-centred approach, and dedication to serving people in our community."
Anita is a team leader among volunteers from Preston Seventh-Day Adventist Church. They feed up to 50 people at Grimshaw Community Centre, offering support and distributing donated food and clothing for people to take home.
Impact on Safeguarding
This service has been recognized as vital for safeguarding vulnerable adults. Anita and other volunteers can spot health or wellbeing concerns and encourage individuals to seek help when appropriate. She aims to expand the service by recruiting volunteers with counselling skills and also supports young people completing the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Anita said: "I am thrilled to have been presented with the Randip Bhogal award and it's amazing to be recognised for my work. I love helping people and a little kindness goes a long way. I work with an amazing team at the council and have had lots of support from my manager. I hope that I can continue to help lots of people both as a social worker and through my volunteering."
Councillor Graham Dalton, cabinet member for Adult Social Care, commented: "We are so proud of Anita and the whole safeguarding team who support people when they need it most, without judgment, and help them decide what changes could be made to keep them safe. If you have any concerns about someone you know, then please reach out, and we can investigate those concerns. If the person doesn't need our help, then we can help them reach the right person or service that can support them."
If you are concerned about a vulnerable adult, you can report a concern using the Lancashire County Council online Safeguarding Portal or call 0300 123 6720. In an emergency, call 999.
