Our team at
The Potteries

I have a level three NVQ in health and social care and have also had dysphagia training.

Previously, I was a suite manager for Care UK but took part in the deputy manager programme, which has led me to where I am now. As an organisation, Care UK really supports you to be the best you can be and encourages you to progress if you decide to.

For me, I think it is really important to be a good team player as well as leader. With that in mind, being honest and fair are two essential traits.

We are all here to make a positive difference to residents’ lives, so achieving gold standard framework accreditation twice were particular honours.

In my free time, I enjoy being with my family and walking through the beautiful New Forest with our dog. I love to socialise with friends too.

Choosing the right care for yourself or a loved one is such an important and emotionally heightened decision. As a customer relations manager, you need to be empathetic and take a person-centred approach which puts the needs of individuals and their families first.

I feel really proud that I can help families make the best-informed choice for their loved ones and help them navigate through the process with compassion, giving them clarity and reassurance.

Before joining the team here, I was head of account development for a global content marketing firm within finance. It sounds very different, but that role and my previous career experience was all about building relationships with different people. I am also familiar with the health and care sector as one of my very first jobs was as the key contact for GPs and medical schools at Poole Hospital. I have also worked within the public and charity sectors – knowing that you are making a positive difference to your community is incredibly rewarding.

I decided to apply for the customer relations manager position because I’d heard great things about The Potteries and also felt that Care UK’s values matched my own. I was also impressed by the organisation’s commitment to supporting colleagues while also continuing to grow as a business.

I would say that my favourite part of the working day is when I can engage with different people and make a difference. Being able to support potential residents and their loved ones is always the highlight of my day.

Outside of work, I enjoy travelling and spending time with friends and family, especially my 10-year-old daughter. Since being offered this role, she has been asking almost daily when she can meet the residents, which has been a lovely reminder of how meaningful and people-focused this role is. Helping others and being part of a community is something that is important to both my professional and personal life.

I joined The Potteries in 2021 because I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone, and Care UK offered me a position where I could do just that. Before this, I worked in domiciliary care for four years and as a field care supervisor for a year.

I really enjoy being able to spend time with residents and relatives, engaging with them and listening to their life histories. This is an opportunity to really get to know people on a personal level, and it enables me to do my job to the best of my abilities. The more I learn about residents, the better I’m able to deliver an appropriate activity, interest or hobby to that individual.

To do this role well, I believe you need to have a good mix of skills. You need to be organised, confident and professional, but also fun, creative and adaptable. You also need to be attentive to individuals’ needs, passionate and caring.

When I walk through the door at The Potteries, I can feel the happiness. I enjoy working as a team and making sure the residents are happy, fulfilled and stimulated, and I’ll keep striving to give the residents the best life, and encourage them to try new things. I look forward to continuing to play an integral part in residents’ days and learning from them.

I give 110% every day to my job, but when I’m not working, I love spending time with my son and walking the dog. I’m very sociable, and I like sports too.

I have been a nurse leader and educator throughout my career and have a degree in nursing and a master’s in hospital management. I am also an OSCE trainer which means I support internationally trained nurses and midwives gain their professional registration in the UK.

I joined Care UK because the organisation’s vision and values impressed me, and I wanted to be part of that. The most important aspect of what we do is ensuring that we provide safe, effective and quality nursing care to all residents.

In my role, you need strong leadership and communication skills. Clinical expertise is essential too, while also recognising that professional development is continuous. We should always be looking to improve where we can.

My favourite parts of the day are the beginning and end. I like the mornings because the team is fresh and ready to go, and the evenings because it’s a chance to reflect.

When I am not at work, I enjoy family time, music and cooking.

I have a professional chef diploma and was previously a head chef with another provider, so I bring lots of experience with me. I chose to join Care UK because it’s an organisation that supports colleagues and encourages a good work-life balance which was important to me, especially as my daughter grows up.

Being head chef means you need to have strong leadership skills and be able to budget. It is also important to be competitive – because we should always be striving to improve. You also need to be approachable, creative, flexible and stay calm under pressure.

For me, the best part of the day is when I get the time to chat to residents and their families. It is always interesting to learn new things about them and it’s often a good way to discover new recipes to try out.

I’m really proud of my role here and it is especially rewarding when we have positive feedback and compliments from residents and their relatives. I was also voted Regional Chef of the Year and Chef of the Year in my last role which were incredibly proud moments for me too.

I spend my time outside work with my daughter and wife. I also enjoy swimming and taking care of my exotic fish.

I joined The Potteries before it opened, in 2013. In fact, it was the second care home that I’d been involved in commissioning. I’ve worked in the care sector since 1997 – I started out as a domiciliary care worker for the Borough of Poole, and before I moved to The Potteries, I was the business administrator in another home. 

I love how no two days are the same here, and I enjoy the combination of the banter and rapport that I have with the residents and the administrative role I do. There’s a fantastic team here at The Potteries. I’m lucky to work with such a lovely group of people and support our wonderful residents. 

Away from work I like to spend time with my family, especially my little grandson. I enjoy traveling, reading, watching movies, baking and going on days out. 

I began working at Care UK in 2017 as a Care Assistant after hearing about The Potteries good reputation in the local area. Before that, I worked as a Shop Assistant and for the Post Office.

In 2023, I was promoted to Head Housekeeper, which was the highlight of my career so far. It’s important to be a team player in this role, but you also need to be able to manage a team, work hands on and always be willing to help.

I love that each day when I come in is a fresh start, and I look forward to continuing to work with a great team and supportive management to improve the standards of The Potteries and keep the home fresh and clean for the residents.

When I’m not working, I like to relax at home with family and friends.

I’ve worked in maintenance for many years, including previously at The Potteries. After I left, I found there was something missing in my life. Working here had a massive impact on me, and returning was a great opportunity to work with people that have fantastic morals again. Coming back to The Potteries and feeling the friendship, love and support from everybody was a turning point in my career. This team is amazing.

I learned a lot from my previous line manager, and I try my very best to maintain good standards and keep everyone safe. In this role, you need to be responsible, approachable, caring and proactive. It’s also important to know how to prioritise tasks and plan well. 

It’s a great feeling knowing that I am trying my best and making people happy with simple things that we take for granted, like a smile.

When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with my two teenage boys. I also like photography and riding my bike.