Grandmother From County Durham Crowned Great British Grandparent 2025

Devoted grandmother Janet Dinsdale from County Durham has been named the Great British Grandparent 2025, following an extensive nationwide search by Ambassador Cruise Line which received hundreds of entries from loved ones nominating a family member or friend for the prestigious title of Grandparent of the Year.

To mark National Grandparents Day, which falls annually on the first Sunday of October, Ambassador launched its nationwide search for the Great British Grandparent 2025 – an accolade conceived as a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes who give so much of their time, consideration, emotional and, in some cases, financial support to their nearest and dearest. The move to announcing the winner on National Care Day – for the Great British Grandparent 2025 and beyond - reflects the unconditional love, care and support grandparents provide their families and communities day in, day out.

Grandmother of five Janet was nominated for the title of Great British Grandparent by her beloved niece and rock, Jane. Jane’s nomination explained the heartbreaking circumstances that led to Janet and her husband Brian taking in two of their grandchildren – Farah, now age ten, and Ray, age eight - following their daughter’s sudden passing in 2022. Whilst navigating her own grief, Janet found herself back to school runs and the full-time responsibilities of caring for young children, one of whom is non-verbal and suffers physical challenges.

Having planned to spend their life savings on a dream retirement, including holidays to the US and the Caribbean, Janet and Brian instead used the money they had saved over many years to cover funeral expenses before remortgaging their home to fund the transformation of their garage into a sensory playroom especially for Ray and to help cover the expenses that come with raising young children. Jane explained that despite the hardships Janet has faced she remains a positive person through and through. Although there was extremely tough competition from other nominees, many of whom would have proved worthy winners of the title, Jane’s nomination truly moved Ambassador’s expert judging panel headed-up by Ambassador’s CEO, Christian Verhounig, and the decision was unanimous in voting Janet the Grandparent of the Year.

After being named Great British Grandparent 2025, Janet said: “I’m gobsmacked, I just can’t believe it. My focus has always been on giving all my grandchildren whatever they need – they come first, always. Since Sarah passed, life has looked very different, she was always dropping in with the kids, especially around teatime! But she lives on through her kids and just seeing the smiles on Farah and Ray’s faces when I wake them up for school in the morning makes everything worth it.”  

Janet’s niece and nominator, Jane, said: “Despite giving up her retirement hopes and dreams and having little financial support, Janet never complains instead focusing entirely on the wellbeing of her grandchildren. She is the definition of a great grandparent.”

In recognition of her achievement, Janet will be treated to a complimentary week-long, full-board Ambassador sailing for two to enjoy at a time of her choosing. Janet said: “It’s a dream, I can’t wait. Bringing up two children on a retirement income means there isn’t money spare for luxuries like international holidays, so this is a real dream come true. Brian and I went on a cruise to celebrate my 50^th birthday – it’s been a decade since and I cannot wait to head back on board.”

Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line and Head Judge of the voting panel, says: “On behalf of all of us at Ambassador, heartfelt congratulations go to Great British Grandparent 2025: Janet Dinsdale. The dedication and ongoing support you provide to your family – particularly Farah and Ray – is truly inspiring. Your humility, selflessness and dedication to caring for your grandchildren at a time of unimaginable personal grief is one of the most moving examples of what it means to be a grandparent. You are a wonderful example of just how integral grandparents are to the family unit.

“At Ambassador Cruise Line, we want to provide a platform for people to recognise how important and truly remarkable this generation is. On behalf of all those friends and relatives who benefit from the unconditional love you provide, we wish to thank grandparents across the country for all that you do, every day of the year.”

The full list of grandparents selected as finalists are:

• Janet Dinsdale from County Durham
• Karen Darcy from Eastbourne
• Brian Shaw from Burntisland, Scotland
• Tracy Sacree from Hampshire
• Wendy Hignell from Bristol
• Jonathan Westwood from Shropshire
• Eleanor & Peter Gibbs from the West Midlands

The affordable quality cruise line is proud to champion the grandparent generation across the country. The company recently commissioned a survey that looked at the intergenerational dynamic, with findings suggesting that grandparents remain the backbone of the family unit. One in five Brits say they rely on grandparents to babysit so they can enjoy time with friends or a partner. Others depend on them for everyday support, including cooking meals (18%), providing childcare while parents are at work (18%) and helping with school pick-ups (16%).

But their role doesn’t end with practical help: grandparents are also stepping in financially. The research found that over a quarter (27%) of Brits have turned to their grandparents for money, often to cover essentials like rent, education or buying a car. While many receive this support with deep gratitude, the emotional weight is clear: 28% say they feel embarrassed but grateful, 20% feel guilty knowing their grandparents are making sacrifices, and a further 18% try to pay them back – with 82% saying they never will!

Now in its third year, Ambassador is proud to be championing the silver generation through its successful Great British Grandparent initiative. Raymond Pearson, a grandfather of five from Essex, was named Great British Grandparent 2023, followed by Jeanette Townsend from West Sussex, a grandmother to eight grandchildren and another eight great-grandchildren, received the honour in 2024.