The first care awards to be staged by Kingsley Healthcare will be hosted by breakfast television star Dr Hilary Jones.

Kingsley staff from across the country will be attending the event at The Ivy House Country Hotel, in Oulton Broad, on Thursday evening, (November 12).

Dr Jones, who is known for bringing healthcare matters to a television audience of millions, will announce the winners of 12 Kingsley Care Award categories including 'Care Home of the Year', 'Manager of the Year' and 'Head Office Star'.

Special guests on the night will include Waveney MP Peter Aldous, chairman of Waveney District Council Bruce Provan and EDP editor Nigel Pickover.

During his awards address, Kingsley CEO Daya Thayan will describe how the first awards come at a significant landmark stage of the company's journey.

Sixteen years after he launched Kingsley with one care home in Oulton Broad, the company is poised next year to move out of its headquarters in School Road, Lowestoft, into smart new town centre offices in a multi-million pound deal.

The company has just embarked on a £200m-plus expansion programme with the aim of becoming a familiar national brand within five years.

During that time it is predicted Kingsley's staff across England will grow from 1,200 to more than 3,000.

To underline Kingsley's commitment to the area, local craftsman Tom Jones, who lives at Kessingland and works out of a studio on the Sotterley estate near Beccles, was commissioned to carve unique trophies for the awards.

Originally trained as a boatbuilder, he now uses his carpentry skills to produce wildlife carvings and one-off pieces of furniture.