Last night, the Braeburn Care leadership team attended the Tunbridge Wells Business Awards 2025, where we were honoured to be shortlisted across three categories. While we didn’t take home a first-place trophy, we did take home something far more meaningful: recognition, momentum, and a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Our CEO, Harriet Smith, was named a Highly Commended Finalist for Businessperson of the Year 2025 – a significant milestone for Braeburn Care, for the people behind the brand, and for the local community that has supported our journey from day one. This achievement is more than an award. It’s a symbol of growth, resilience, and the incredible power of building a business rooted in heart.
A Leader With Purpose And a Relentless Work Ethic
Harriet’s journey has never been about titles. It has always been about people – the people we care for, the people we employ, and the communities we serve.
Alongside leading Braeburn Care, Harriet is also:
- CEO of Sammons Recruitment Group
- Co-owner of a growing property portfolio with her husband
- A trustee of Aspens, supporting vulnerable adults across Kent and Sussex
- And above all, a dedicated mum to her three-year-old daughter
Every chapter of her story reflects hard work, determination, and the belief that business success should be built on integrity, compassion, and impact. She has never once claimed this journey as her own and she continues to credit the people around her for every milestone reached.
A Night Worth Celebrating: Our Three Nominations
The Tunbridge Wells Business Awards is known for spotlighting innovation, excellence, and community-driven businesses throughout the region. This year, Braeburn Care stood among some of the most inspiring brands in Kent across three key categories:
- Highly Commended Finalist for Businessperson of the Year
- Change Maker Award – Shortlisted
- New Business of the Year – Shortlisted
To receive recognition in categories that speak directly to our identity – innovation, leadership, impact, and growth – is something we take immense pride in.
Braeburn Care: Building a Business With Heart
When Braeburn Care re-launched in 2024, our ambition was bold but simple: to build a home care service that puts people before process, relationships before routines, and kindness at the centre of everything.
This year’s award nominations – Change Maker Award and New Business of the Year – reflect the strength of that mission.
Why Change Maker?
Because we are redefining what “care” should look like. We prioritise continuity, personalised care, family involvement, transparent communication, and a team culture people want to be part of. Every customer is treated as an individual, not a task list.
Why New Business of the Year?
Because although our service is built on decades of experience, the business itself is fresh, energetic, growing, and rewriting expectations of what high-quality, privately funded care looks like in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas.
Being recognised for both innovation and rapid growth is a powerful indicator that we’re building something meaningful, something different, and something worth celebrating.
Behind Every Success Is a Team That Cares
Harriet may have accepted the recognition, but she stood there representing everyone who has helped build Braeburn Care’s foundations:
- Our exceptional team of Care Professionals, who bring compassion to life every single day.
- Our operational and leadership team, who champion excellence behind the scenes.
- The families who trust us in their most vulnerable moments.
- The local community who continue to believe in our mission.
- And the professionals who recommended, supported, and collaborated with us since day one.
In Harriet’s words:
“This achievement belongs to all of us”.
A Moment to Reflect And a Catalyst for What Comes Next
Awards don’t define us, but they do something important: They remind us that the way we deliver care matters.
This milestone reinforces our commitment to:
- Investing in exceptional carers
- Growing sustainably across West Kent and East Sussex
- Expanding our daily services and live-in care offering
- Continuing to innovate in people-first, relationship-centred home care
- Strengthening our employer brand to attract values-driven professionals
- Remaining true to our promise of delivering care with dignity, compassion, and heart
As Braeburn Care continues to grow, so does our responsibility and our excitement for the future.
From Harriet: “This one is for everyone who has supported me.”
Harriet’s acceptance message said it best:
“Being awarded highly commended finalist for Businessperson of the Year isn’t mine alone. This one is for everyone who has supported me on this journey – my incredible team, my family, the people who believed in Braeburn Care before it even relaunched, and the customers who put their trust in us every day.”
“Being recognised alongside so many outstanding leaders is an honour. But what matters most is the difference we make in people’s lives. That is, and always will be, the heart of Braeburn Care.”
Looking Ahead With Gratitude and Ambition
We walk into 2026 with momentum, purpose, and deep gratitude. Braeburn Care is still young – but it’s powerful, impactful, and rooted in everything that makes an outstanding care provider: people, compassion, professionalism, and heart.
Here’s to the journey ahead… Here’s to the team that made this possible… And here’s to the next milestone we’ll celebrate together.
