A LOWER Stretton elderly homecare provider has officially received one of the UK's highest accolades in business after 'impressing' the Queen.

Home Instead Senior Care, which has its national office at Walnut Tree Business Centre, found out it was receiving the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation last year.

But staff were officially presented with the top honour by Lord Lieutenant David Briggs, who is Her Majesty's representative for Cheshire, on January 20.

He said: "The Queen has been so impressed with your single-minded determination to give the elderly what they want – to cherish or dare I say to love and to truly care for them – and for that you are today presented with the award.

"You have also understood that one of the biggest killers is loneliness and so you are not just there to clean or to cook or to change the person being cared for – but they are there as a friend and they spend time talking to and getting to know the client, they develop a relationship and become a friend.

"And it is for that that you have an award for innovation – relationship care – matching the carer to the client and of course making sure that the same carer sees the same client over a long period."

Home Instead Senior Care is the first homecare provider to be presented with the award.