Take Five to Age Well Awards

Take Five to Age well has been nationally/internationally recognised for its impact in the following categories/Awards:

Carers UK Awards are traditionally shining a spotlight, on the extraordinary contribution of unpaid carers across the UK.

Take Five to Age Well is an educational intervention and took shape of a national public health campaign in 2023 & 2025 to support UK-wide communities to age well, inclusive of, co-developed with and for unpaid carers. As team we are immensley proud to be the winner in the ‘Standout Campaign of the Year’ category at the prestigious national 2026 Carers UK Awards. This category recognises campaigns that have made an outstanding, visible contribution to improving support, awareness or outcomes for unpaid carers. For more detail please go to OU Press release.

Dr Vseteckova said:

"The Take Five team has collaboratively developed the Take Five to Age Well educational initiatives as a national public health campaign across the UK, co-designed with carers and key national, regional and local stakeholders. Evaluations show that Take Five improves health literacy, encourages self-care and self-management, and empowers carers and the wider public to build confidence in taking action and changing attitudes. 

As team, we are immensely honoured for receiving this nomination and equally so for having the opportunity of making a real-life difference for the carers who took part in Take Five and as result learnt about ageing and ageing well, improved self-care and self-management and increased their confidence to take action to improve their health and wellbeing. We’re immensely proud the carers found Take5 brilliant, engaging and helping them to stay well and age well.”

The International Self-Care Foundation and Self-Care Forum shine yearly the spotlight on empowering initiatives taking place in communities supporting and advancing  self-care.

Take Five to Age Well wins 2025 prestigious international Self-Care Awards. Take Five was praised for its simple yet powerful approach to helping people adopt daily habits across five key areas: eat, drink, move, connect, and think; highlighted as self-care practical, inclusive, and sustainable for everyone. Take Five represents a powerful example of how OU research and Age UK embraced the challenge to drive change at both personal and policy levels under the Open Societal Challenge of Living Well. For more detail please go to OU Press release. 

Dr Vseteckova said:

‘We’re delighted to see Take Five recognised with this award. It’s a testament to the strength of community partnerships and the power of small, daily actions to improve both mind and body. Our aim has always been to make healthy ageing achievable for everyone.’

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The international Green Gown Awards celebrate sustainability excellence across the education sector. In 2025 awards were 112 finalists from 76 international institutions shortlisted, with 23 winners and 24 highly commended.

The Take Five to Age Well (Take Five), led by Dr Jitka Vseteckova, was one of the shortlisted Finalistsand received a High Commendation for ‘Benefiting the Society’ category. Take Five, developed within the OU OSC Programme (also Highly Commended) was collaboratively co-designed and co-produced with people with lived experience, topic specialists, academics, and a range of health and community organisations and supported over the years via sustained partnership with Age UK and Age Scotland and many other organisations UK-wide, was recognised for empowering older adults to build healthier habits and stronger social connections. The initiative encourages small, manageable actions that promote physical and mental wellbeing, tackle health literacy, and transform attitudes, helping people across the UK live more active, connected lives. For more detail please go to OU Press release.

Dr Vseteckova said:

‘We’re delighted, as a team, to receive this prestigious recognition for the Take Five to Age Well. This High commendation highlights the power of collaboration and inclusivity in research. It’s a testament to the dedication of an incredible team, together with a long-standing commitment to co-designing interventions from the outset and capitalising on UK-wide partnerships, all while highlighting the power of small, daily actions to improve both mind and body. Our aim has always been to make healthy ageing achievable for everyone.’