Nottinghamshire Nurse Marks 40 Years of Service with Prestigious Award Shortlisting

A nurse at a Nottinghamshire care home has celebrated four decades of service this month with a shortlisting in a major county-wide care award.

Janet Maiella joined Church Farm Care’s Church Farm at Cotgrave in August 1986 as a Registered Nurse, and 40 years later, she is still providing meaningful care to residents at the home, which has seen her recently shortlisted in the 2026 Proud to Care Awards for ‘Long Service Recognition’ – having made the final shortlist from more than 700 nominations.

Janet qualified as a nurse in 1979 and, by 1986, had two young children. She joined Church Farm Care as it allowed her to continue nursing while raising her family. What began as a job quickly became much more, with residents coming to feel like the grandparents she had never had the opportunity to know.

Over the past four decades, Janet has seen significant changes in the care sector and at Church Farm at Cotgrave, including the home growing from a converted farmhouse for just over 20 residents to one now supporting 46 people. She has also seen care move away from strict routines around waking, bedtimes and personal care towards a more person-centred approach, giving family members greater choice over how they spend their day.

Training has also changed significantly. Where staff once learned largely ‘on the job’, teams now receive regular professional training in new approaches and techniques. Janet believes this has helped create a genuine home where family members are supported to live life in a way that feels right for them.

Janet has cared for many people who have stayed with her over the years. One was a Polish woman whose family shared how she had been forced from her home as a child and walked from Poland into Russia. Before developing dementia, she wrote about her experiences in a book that her family later had published.

Another was a Second World War medic who would still check other residents’ pulses if he thought they were unwell. He sometimes experienced distressing wartime flashbacks, including memories of Auschwitz, and Janet would sit with him and listen until he felt calmer.

For Janet, those moments capture what care is about – being present with someone and making sure they know they are not alone.

Janet said: “It is difficult to believe that 40 years have passed since I first walked through the doors at Church Farm at Cotgrave. I have been fortunate to meet so many amazing people over the years and to work alongside colleagues who care deeply about what they do. It has been a privilege to play a part in the life of the home for so long.

“Being shortlisted for a Proud to Care Award was completely unexpected. It is a lovely way to mark my 40th anniversary, and I am very grateful to everyone who nominated me.”

The Proud to Care Awards recognise people working across Nottinghamshire’s adult social care sector, with the Long Service Recognition category celebrating individuals who have demonstrated sustained commitment to care.

Lucy Atkinson, Co-founder and Director of Church Farm Care, said: “Four decades of service reflect an extraordinary level of commitment. Janet has witnessed many changes during her career while remaining dedicated to the people who live and work at Church Farm at Cotgrave. We are delighted to see her contribution recognised through an awards shortlisting and look forward to celebrating with her at the ceremony in October.”

The awards ceremony will take place at Goosedale, near Hucknall, on Friday, 9th of October.