Our team at
Holly Grange House

I have a level five diploma and degree in health and social care. Before my current role, I was a senior carer, so I have lots of experience. Moving to a management role and leading a team has been great and a real highlight for me. It has enabled me to support colleagues to deliver high-quality care and given me the chance to contribute to the success of the home.

In this role, you need to be compassionate, patient, organised and a good communicator. You also have to work well under pressure and be genuinely committed to providing excellent care.

The most important aspect of what we do is making sure residents receive safe, person-centred care. Seeing the positive difference this makes and working alongside a great team makes every day enjoyable.

When I am not working, I spend my time with family and friends. I also enjoy travelling, fishing and other outdoor activities.

Before becoming part of the team here, I was head chef at another care home. In this role, it is really important to be hard working and good at multitasking.

Working here is so rewarding as we can see first-hand the difference we make to people. It is great seeing residents enjoy their meals. It is also a great feeling when residents actively look forward to seeing what tasty treats we’ve planned for them today.

Outside of work, I make the most of relaxing by watching TV.

Before joining the team here, I was a senior carer in another home, so I bring lots of experience to the role. I also have NVQs in health and safety and have completed various training programmes over the years.

My favourite part of the day is spending time with residents and learning more about them – making sure they are happy is one of the most important parts of my role. Seeing them smile and being able to make a positive difference to them always makes me feel proud of what we do here. One time, we built a Christmas grotto and a colleague dressed up as Santa. It was so much fun and lovely to see everyone so full of joy.

As lifestyle lead, you need to be patient, friendly and approachable. Circumstances can change so you also need to be flexible too.

When I am not working, I take the opportunity to recharge and reading books.

I have a level three NVQ in health and social care and have completed dementia training as part of my role as dementia care champion.

Essential skills you need to work in care include kindness, empathy and patience. It’s a role I feel proud to do, especially that we provide person-centred care. We want every resident to feel valued.

As a dementia care champion, I help educate colleagues that every dementia journey is unique to the individual. For me, it’s particularly important to see the person beyond the diagnosis.

I enjoy mornings the most, when I first step through the front door and get to say ‘good morning’ to everyone. Being cheerful first thing always puts a smile on people’s faces.

In my spare time, I enjoy going to concerts. I also like swimming and relaxing in the spa. I’m a big fan of watching documentaries too.

I have a supervisor apprenticeship level three qualification and an NVQ in business administration. Before joining the team here, I started as a trainee supervisor and then became a care coordinator.

As with any role, it is important to be reliable, open and have good communication skills. I think you also need to be approachable to everyone – residents, their families and colleagues. Treating people with respect and dignity is essential too, as is being friendly.

Every day is different and I always look forward to dealing with new challenges. The best part of the role for me, is coming into work each morning and seeing all the residents. I also really enjoy working with colleagues; we are a close team and work hard together. Holly Grange House is such a welcoming home and I honestly love being here.

I spend my free time with family and friends. I have two dogs (Oscar and Gucci) who like lots of cuddles, which I am only too happy to provide. I also love a bit of Karaoke with my harmonica and taking part in local bingo nights.

In this role, you need to be able to multi-task and have excellent attention to detail. You also have to take a flexible approach as you never know what the day might throw at you, which makes being able to prioritise important too. Working in a care home also means you have to be compassionate and respectful.

The best part of the day for me has to be the time I can spend interacting with residents. It’s always nice to stop for a chat or to give a helping hand to solve a problem. It just feels good to make someone’s day a little better. It is important to me that residents feel and are kept safe and comfortable. I enjoy being able to help keep Holly Grange House running smoothly.

Before becoming Maintenance Manager, I was Head Housekeeper, so I have lots of transferrable skills. Training I have completed includes health and safety, COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health), PAT testing, safeguarding and first aid.

I was also a domestic supervisor previously at George Eliot Hospital, where we earned an NHS Parliamentary Award which recognised our response to Covid 19, which was a career highlight.

In my spare time I like going to festivals and attending Comic Con.