My social care career started in 2008 when I took a part-time job as a support worker for vulnerable children and adults in both residential and respite settings. I also have experience of resettling people back into their own homes after rehabilitation for an acquired brain injury.
After graduating from university, I went on to gain my Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management as well as being involved in a number of project and programme management roles.
During this time, my grandmother developed Alzheimer’s Disease and was provided with less than adequate social support, despite the expensive care home fees! As I lost my own mother aged 9 to Leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, this was particularly devastating as my grandmother and I were very close. This spurred me on to, one day, look to improve social support for vulnerable people.
After a brief spell in marketing, and the birth of my first daughter, Adorno Companions was established. As an organisation with a social purpose, we have one main aim: to support older people to live the best life in later life.
I am married and have 2 daughters aged 1 and 4 as well as a gorgeous golden labrador. In my spare time I enjoy taking part in as many different sports as I can fit in including tennis, surfing, cycling, running and stand-up paddle boarding.
Why did you want to become a Member of Sirona?
As the Managing Director of a support work organisation, Sirona’s core values really resonated with me. Having experienced bureaucracy getting in the way of my grandmother’s care, it has driven my own organisation to develop dynamic processes, which are client and staff-led, similar to Sirona’s.
I am therefore delighted to have been invited to become a strategic member in shaping our communities’ future primary care and making sure, with time, procedures and initiatives innovate.
What do you hope to achieve as a Member?
Provide a balanced viewpoint of what it is like to be a small local business owner, the relative of a service user and a service user myself with young children.
What do you think the future holds for Sirona?
As a C.I.C, I believe Sirona’s future looks really positive!
What message do you have for staff?
Until you spread your wings, you will have no idea how far you can fly.
Please can you tell us something about yourself that not many people might know?
In a previous, scientific life, I was a qualified weather forecaster!