Catherine Spence: Winner of our Unsung Hero Award

When Catherine joined City & County she thought she was signing up for a steady 9-5 job. What she didn’t know is that she was finding her tribe and unleashing her passion. “When you love what you do, there is no start or finish time”, said Catherine.

Catherine Spence is City & County’s first and only learning content specialist responsible for coming up with key content for all our training modules. The role was created for Catherine to utilise her unique skillset.

Prior to joining City and County in 2019, Catherine worked as a self-employed training expert hired by companies across the UK to design and conduct training modules. After welcoming a baby, she relocated to the North and got clear instructions from her wife to find a job with sensible, consistent hours.

That is when Catherine found City & County. She was initially brought on as a trainer but in her spare time (weekends and evenings) dedicated herself to advancing our induction materials. “Finishing at a certain time was the least of my concerns, I spotted so many exciting ways to improve our materials and deliver a world class training program. I couldn’t put my computer down”.

Catherine’s commitment didn’t go unnoticed. As a colleague mentioned, “Catherine’s work has allowed us to grow as a company with best practice at its heart”. Explaining that, “Ultimately what she is involved in whether sourcing, checking or developing information and training impacts our service users and staff in a positive way”. We sat down with Catherine to learn more about this behind-the-scenes champion.

What motivates you?

My team, being part of this amazing group and witnessing the awesome things we achieve. It is an incredibly lucky place to be when you get paid to do something you thoroughly enjoy, with people you adore, respect and are inspiring.

How did you feel when you received the award?

Shocked, in utter disbelief and then instantly proud. It is difficult to describe the satisfaction of working at a place that brings so much good to others. To be recognised as someone who has helped bring that good is an unbeatable feeling.

What makes City & County unique compared to other companies you have worked with?

The ethos is unique. We have such a grounded ethos. When you listen to James Thorburn speak, it is clear he realises all the work that is put in daily and is incredibly thankful for it. I have worked with quite a few directors that have become out of touch. That is not the case here. There is no such thing as levels, each of our roles are equally important. And at the core of everything is heart. We all work in the best possible way for the best possible reasons.

What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

I have many challenges every day, but I would say my biggest one (more personal than work) was learning to believe in myself. Learning to see the good I do and to stand tall and proud for the things I achieve as a part of my team (super important to me) but also as an individual. Listening to the things people said about me in the context of the awards was a huge eye opener.

Amanda and Anita impress at Mount Carmel Court

Joanne Brannen, Regional Manager – North West and West Yorkshire, has asked us to share this letter, received from Salford Safeguarding Adults Board. The Board contacted Amanda Lowe, Registered Manager, and Anita Baker, Care Coordinator, at Mount Carmel Court to express their appreciation for the support provided to a client, Mr Dodson.

Dr. Stephen Pugh, Joint Independent Chair of the SSAB, wrote to say, “On behalf of the board, we would like to acknowledge and thank you for the excellent joint work that you and your colleagues have been doing to support Mr. Dodson. We know that it can be extremely difficult to support people who are self-neglecting, and this requires a patient and persistent approach.

“We can see from the information that has been shared that there has been a strong commitment from partners to put Mr. Dodson at the heart of the process and really understand his views, wishes and feelings. We can see that by working together, in a person-centred way, Mr. Dodson has begun to engage with services, which has led to a positive impact and reduced risk of harm.

“We hope the great work you are doing to support Salford residents continues.”

Joanne told us, “I think that both Amanda and Anita deserve a special mention in the comms”. We completely agree Joanne, it’s clear from the feedback how much of a commitment the team have made to involving Mr. Dodson in the decision-making around his support, and how the successful the outcomes have been as a result. Amazing work!

Community recognition for Vicki at Poppy House

Last week, the Careline team in Tameside received a special visit by two representatives of Tameside Council – Stephanie Butterworth, Director of Adult Services, and Tracy Harrison, Assistance Director of Adult Services. The duo took time to see first-hand the impact that Vicki Kinder is making on building community around the service.

Vicki’s regional Manager, Joanne Brannen explained, “I invited them along to visit the branch to showcase the work which Vicki Kinder carries out with the service users and the local community. Vicki hosts a ‘Thursday Club’ in Poppy House each week where she invites service users. They play bingo, cards, have a cuppa and a chin wag. During the visit, they were celebrating two 80th Birthday parties.

“One of the stories which really touched me was to hear how she had worked with a social worker to place a gentleman in Hurst Meadows instead of going home after a hospital stay to a flat, where he was potentially a victim of cuckooing – a type of crime where drug dealers take control of someone’s home as a base for trafficking. They worked together and gathered donations of household items so that he could move into a comfortable home instead.

“Working with the team in Tameside, the gentleman is now rehabilitated and attends the ‘Thursday Club’. He passed these compliments on to Stephanie Butterworth and she was simply blown away. She was really impressed with the club, the Jubilee party and all of the fundraising activities.

“They were proper impressed, and I would really like to say thank you to Vicki for all of her hard and it to be acknowledged by the Director and Assistant Director was really great to hear!”

Thank you for all the work you are doing to support people in your local community Vicki. It certainly seems that your club and the support you provide have both made a huge impact on the lives of people across Tameside. We are so pleased to see your achievements given such appreciation by the local council – a massive ‘well done’ from all of us across the City & County family.

Welcome to baby Lloyd

And finally, Steph Mohan and Lisa Holden in our complex care division have asked us to share a big ‘congratulations’ to Dean Shotton from the Desktop Services team.

Dean and his partner welcomed the new addition of baby Lloyd to their family last week. Arriving at the slightly early time of 3:40 am, Lloyd was delivered in the space of just ten minutes (!) weighing 6 pounds and 5 ounces.

We’re told that Dean will be taking some well-earned time with his family for the next few days.