Thrive Homecare wins Community Care Team Award at Kent Integrated Care Awards

Just 18 months after launching, Thrive Homecare has been recognised as one of Kent’s leading community care teams, winning the Community Care Team Award at the 2026 Kent Integrated Care Awards.

The Canterbury-based homecare provider picked up the award at a ceremony at the Mercure Hotel in Maidstone on 11th September, where teams from across Kent’s health and care sector gathered to celebrate the people making a difference in their communities.

For Thrive, the award carries particular weight. Entries were judged by professionals from across the care sector, with the Community Care Team Award recognising teams that are making a meaningful difference to the lives of the people they support.

And that is exactly what Thrive set out to do.

More than a list of tasks

Thrive was founded on the belief that good home support should be about more than simply getting things done. Its Health & Wellbeing Associates build genuine relationships with the people they support, taking time to understand who they are, what matters to them and what they want from their lives.

That can mean encouraging someone to try something new, helping them reconnect with meaningful interests or simply having the time and space for a proper conversation.

It is an approach centred on wellbeing, independence and connection, as well as practical support.

Chris Gage, Co-founder and CEO of Thrive Homecare, said:

“We set up Thrive because we believe people should be able to expect more from home support. The right support doesn't take away independence. It gives people the confidence to keep living the life they choose.”

“To receive this recognition just 18 months after establishing Thrive is an incredible achievement. It is a real testament to the people who make Thrive what it is every day.”

Recognition for the Canterbury team

The award is a reflection of the whole Canterbury team, from the Associates building relationships with people in their homes to the colleagues working behind the scenes to make that support possible.

Rebecca Bennetts, Registered Manager at Thrive Homecare, said:

“I am incredibly proud of the team. They work incredibly hard to build trust, understand the people they support and find ways to make a genuine difference to their lives.

“To have that recognised by professionals within the care sector makes this award particularly special.”

The team has continued to grow since Thrive launched, with its approach shaped around the idea that care should help people thrive, not simply survive.

Just the beginning

Winning the Community Care Team Award marks a significant milestone for Thrive, but the team sees it as recognition of what has already been achieved rather than a reason to stand still. With plans to continue growing its home support services across Kent and beyond, Thrive remains focused on its original purpose: helping people stay independent, connected and able to live life on their own terms.