Our team at
Mercia Grange

I’ve worked in the care sector for ten years now, and joined Care UK in 2017. I’d worked for another care home providers, but I heard good things about Care UK from a colleague.

I think CRMs like me have a very important part to play in a home as we’re helping families in their hour of need, reassuring them that we can care for their loved one in the way they’d want. During my time working in older people’s care, I’ve developed a passion for dementia care. In fact, I’m one of the Dementia Champions at Mercia Grange. I enjoy sparking that passion for dementia care in other people.

I love this job, every day is so varied and rewarding. I enjoy meeting new families and welcoming new residents, and I love spending time with our existing residents, having a chat and a giggle with them.

One of the best parts of working in a care home is being able to help fulfil residents’ wishes. I’ve organised for a horse to visit a resident in their room, and for residents who were keen football fans to have a corporate hospitality box at Aston Villa for the day so they could watch a match and meet ex-Villa players.

I worked as a Care Assistant in the community for some years before I decided I was ready for a change. I knew I wanted to stay in care, so I applied for a job at Mercia Grange. On the day of my interview, I had a warm welcome from all the team members and my interview went well, so when I was offered the job I cancelled all my other interviews because I felt this was the right place for me.

In my role as Activities Coordinator, it’s important make sure residents are enjoying a meaningful lifestyle and doing things they like to do. I love helping to fulfil their wishes and supporting them to go places they never thought they would be able to go again. I felt a huge sense of pride when I passed my test to drive the home’s minibus. It means I can fulfil even more residents’ wishes.

In this role, you need to be kind, caring, friendly and energetic. You also need to have a good sense of humour and good ideas. Being able to make residents happy makes me proud of what I do. I enjoy any part of the day when I can engage with residents and see them smile while taking part in activities they enjoy.

I’m a mother of four and I have six grandchildren with two more on the way, so outside of work a lot of my time is spent with them, going on day trips, holidays or just having fun. I really enjoy crochet too, and I make a lot of different things.

I’ve been cooking for 36 years, and I’ve also worked as a Deputy Manager. I knew Care UK as I had worked for them for four years previous to joining Mercia Grange.

My role is to provide the residents at Mercia Grange with the best possible dining experience I can give.

In this role, patience is very important. You also need to be able to do more than one thing at once! Having a bit of flare to make the food look nice is also a key characteristic. I love mealtimes at Mercia Grange when I can see the residents eating and enjoying what we have produced. It makes me proud to watch them enjoying their food.

Outside of work, I enjoy baking cakes, walking my dog, spending time with family and friends and going on holidays.

I was a Nurse for two years at the Kingston Public Hospital in Jamaica, working on a surgical and orthopedic ward and on an A&E ward, prior to coming to the UK. I started Care UK in 2019 at Catherine Court until October 2021 and started Mercia Grange October 2021.

To be a good Nurse, it’s important to show empathy to each resident. You also need to be hardworking, knowledgeable, optimistic, compassionate, even-tempered and flexible. I love that every day here is different. I have an amazing team, and I enjoy taking care of each and every resident.

The best part of working for Mercia Grange is the bond we form with residents and their families. I enjoy spending time with my family when I’m not working, and I listen to Reggae music and meet up with friends to unwind.

I joined Care UK because its values are aligned with my beliefs. Being able to make a positive change in residents’ lives and put a smile on their faces makes me proud of my work.

To do this role well, you need to be passionate, enthusiastic, understanding, responsible and organised.
I love interacting with residents. It’s rewarding to be able to get to know each of them and provide them with a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Outside of work, I’m a Stage 2 Trainee Health Psychologist, doing a professional doctorate course in Health Psychology at Staffordshire University. I previously obtained a BSc Psychology at the University of Sheffield and a MSc Health Psychology at the University of Derby.

I understand the importance of staying physically active, so I exercise a lot outside work. I have been dancing ballet for over 20 years and started pole fitness 1.5 years ago. I enjoy going for a walk and working out as well.

I’ve spent 20 years’ working in offices as a Personal Assistant, Secretary and Business Administrator, and, before joining the Mercia Grange team I was an Administrator in another care home. I wanted to join Care UK because it is a hugely reputable care provider.

The mornings are always my favourite time of the day because there are lots of happy faces coming through the door, and I look forward to what the day has in store. I get a lot of satisfaction from ensuring that the office is running smoothly. Time management skills are crucial in this busy role, as are good people skills, and having some computer know-how: we use lots of different computer and information systems.

I enjoy conquering new challenges, and I thrive on the fact that every day is different. I’m also proud to be the Colleague Voices Representative for Mercia Grange. I go along to the regular meetings to ensure that the voices of colleagues working in this home are heard within Care UK.

In my free time I like to go walking and travelling and discovering new cultures and places. I enjoy reading too, and spending time with friends and family.

I was working as a wall and floor tiler before joining Care UK. I was keen to work here because they offered good working hours that worked around my family and a challenging role with something different every day.

As Maintenance Manager, you need to be hardworking, hands on and willing to learn. You also need to think outside the box and have good time management and communication skills.

I love that every day I get to meet different contractors and learn new skills to help develop my knowledge and understanding. Fixing problems within the home helps the residents to have a comfortable and enjoyable time here, and that makes me proud of what I do.

Outside of work, I enjoy football, boxing and spending time with my daughter.