One team, one village, one EP!

A dream came true for the team at Evelyn Page Village last night, after they were named Village of the Year in the 2026 Ryman Awards.

“It’s been a dream of ours for a few years to be Village of the Year,” said Village Manager Jill Clark.

“We talk about it at all of our meetings and we believe in ourselves that we are the village of the year – winning the trophy is the confirmation that others believe in us too.

“And it’s all down to this amazing team.

"We always talk about being a family - we are proud of what we do for our residents and we want them to have the best life they can.”

Registered Nurse Lea Valdez and Dual Unit Coordinator Charmaine Julian show off their 'One EP' t-shirts, made especially for the big night

She added: “You only have to look at the joyful celebrations here tonight to understand what a strong and supportive team they are.”

Indeed, the team had gone all out to decorate the village lounge in Ryman orange and white, with staff donning the theme colours too.

Everyone contributed to a huge spread of food and they even held their own village awards after the main event to commend more team members.

Ryman’s Chief Operating Officer Marsha Cadman praised Evelyn Page’s ‘impressive results across every measure’, citing resident satisfaction, team engagement, clinical outcomes, and health and safety among the metrics assessed across all 47 Ryman villages.

“These results reflect a team that is deeply committed to creating an environment where residents feel connected, supported and truly at home,” she said.

“Across every aspect of village life, the team has demonstrated what can be achieved when strong performance is paired with genuine care.”

The Evelyn Page team before.....

...and after winning Village of the Year!

There was strong representation for Auckland team members, with the manager of Hobsonville’s Keith Park Village, Kim Dawson, taking out the prestigious Kevin Hickman Award.

First introduced in 2019, this award recognises Ryman co-founder Kevin Hickman’s values of kindness, excellence, leadership and care, and also celebrates team members who are mentors not only to their teammates but the wider Ryman community too.

“Kim's dedication to Ryman's philosophy of care is reflected in her genuine belief that our care is truly good enough for Mum and Dad,” said Ryman CEO Naomi James.

“Known for her kindness and compassion, she creates an environment where residents, families and team members feel valued and supported.”

Kim was commended for her ‘professional, knowledgeable approach’ and the ‘genuine care’ she showed to families from their very first interaction.

“Through her actions every day, Kim embodies the values and vision on which Ryman was founded,” Naomi said.

Describing the win as ‘surreal’, Kim said it was humbling to be recognised given there would be ‘so many others in our villages worthy of this award’.

“I’m feeling very humbled but it’s super nice to be recognised, I’m truly grateful for that.”

Kim put her success down to three things:

“Firstly, the sense of purpose that comes with the village manager’s role – it’s all about the people – residents, team members and families.

“Secondly, the work ethic and values instilled in me by my parents and the support of my long-suffering husband Lindsey.

“And thirdly, the phenomenal mentor I have been so fortunate to have for the past five years since joining Ryman – my General Manager Operations, Lynn Charlton.”

Further Auckland talent recognised included Leader of the Year winner Ruben Kumar, Village Manager at Possum Bourne Village in Pukekohe, who was finalist in the same category last year, and Support Team Member of the Year (Office and Construction), Scott McCulloch from the Auckland office.

Other highlights around New Zealand and Australia were Charles Fleming’s Adi Secake in Waikanae, who won Caregiver of the Year, Honeylane Bautista from Christchurch’s Anthony Wilding, who won Nurse of the Year, Kelly Jones from Napier’s Princess Alexandra, who won Support Team Member of the Year (Village), Ernest Rutherford’s Nick Lambie in Nelson, who won the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Award, and Deborah Cheetham’s Janine Wilde in Ocean Grove, Melbourne, who won Sales Advisor of the Year for the second time.

This year’s awards saw a record number of nominations submitted, with more than 2000 received.

Naomi said it was a reflection of what she saw every time she visited a village, where teams cared for and supported each other while doing everything they could to make a difference in the lives of residents and their families.

“It’s that commitment, that kindness, and that sense of purpose that makes Ryman so special and why so many Kiwis and Aussies continue to choose us as their provider of choice.

“These awards are a chance to recognise the incredible contributions made across our villages, our construction sites, our offices and to celebrate the people who go above and beyond every day.

“To all our finalists, congratulations, you should be so proud of your achievements.”

List of Winners:

Caregiver of the Year – Adi Secake, Charles Fleming

Nurse of the Year – Honeylane Bautista, Anthony Wilding

Support Team Member of the Year – Village – Kelly Jones, Princess Alexandra

Support Team Member of the Year – Office and Construction – Scott McCulloch, Auckland office

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Award – Nick Lambie, Ernest Rutherford

Leader of the Year – Ruben Kuma, Possum Bourne

Sales Advisor of the Year – Janine Wilde, Deborah Cheetham

Village of the Year – Evelyn Page, Auckland

Kevin Hickman Award – Kim Dawson, Village Manager of Keith Park