14 December 2025
In November, Southern Cross Care (SCC) came together for the 2025 Chair’s Dinner, a night of celebration, recognition, and connection.
Over 200 guests joined the event, including SCC staff from across all regions, Board members, Knights of the Southern Cross, community and project partners, and valued sponsors. The evening was a joyous celebration of the dedication, innovation, and compassion that define our organisation.
The night featured inspiring speeches from Board Chair Francis Price and CEO Jason Eldering, who thanked staff for their commitment to residents, clients, and colleagues.
“Our organisation is built on our people,” Jason said. “Their compassion and dedication are what bring our values to life and help us make a meaningful difference every day”, said Jason.
Among the highlights was recognising the 2025 Employee Excellence Award winners:
Hayley Kim, Clinical Manager at Allora Nursing Home, received the Leadership Excellence Award for her calm, capable, and results-driven approach, strengthening team culture and enhancing resident care.
Phub Zam (aka Zam), Personal Carer at Stretton Gardens Residential Aged Care, was honoured with the Known & Loved Stars Award for her compassion, attentiveness, and mentorship, consistently going above and beyond for residents and colleagues alike.
For the first time, SCC introduced the Team Innovation Award, celebrating creative and practical solutions that improve care, services, or workplace practices. The 2025 award was presented to the Clinical Team at St Mary’s Residential Care Home, Raceview, for their simple yet impactful innovation – a storage container in each resident’s room for hearing aids and glasses. This small change addressed a common challenge, giving residents a secure and familiar place for their belongings, improving daily care and reducing stress for both residents and staff.
The evening concluded with upbeat live music as guests danced the night away, enjoying the warmth, camaraderie, and festive spirit that makes SCC such a special community.
Congratulations to Hayley, Zam, the St Mary’s Clinical Team, and all finalists for living SCC’s values and making a meaningful difference every day.
The event was also made possible by our generous sponsors: Gold sponsors: Aidacare Health Equipment; Mullins Lawyers; Chinchilla Project Team (Castalia Group, D.26, Integral Construction, Smith & Tracey Architects, and MDC Interior Concepts). Silver: DSL Law; AccessPay. Bronze: Trusted Pest Management; Knight Frank Valuation & Advisory Queensland.
