We are excited to start a new tradition! We invite all service users and residents to Brierley Park for an afternoon of games and a picnic.
We’ll be using public transport, so feel free to meet up and join us for the journey.
More details will be shared in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
The weather was perfect today for the walking club’s excursion to Dovedale. After applying plenty of sunscreen, we set off on our walk. Some group members were initially apprehensive about crossing the stepping stones over the river. Still, their worry quickly turned to excitement once they successfully made it across and realised what they had accomplished.
Upon reaching the top of the hill, we enjoyed a delightful picnic prepared by Donna, our wonderful cook at Enablement Care. The picnic featured delicious sandwiches, refreshing soft drinks, and a much-needed sugar boost from some biscuits. The scenery was breathtaking, making for a thoroughly wonderful day out.
Dovedale is certainly a place we would love to revisit!
We had a fantastic time at the gardening club last Monday. We spent the morning at the allotment, where our plot is flourishing, and the plants are coming up beautifully! The weather has been warm and sunny, so we provided cold drinks to keep everyone cool. Lisa and April tended to our raised bed, planting beetroot, while Andy prepared the area and sowed turnip seeds. There was a wave of excitement when we discovered a perfectly formed baby cauliflower. It’s wonderful to hear the enthusiasm from our service users as they see their hard work paying off and witness the fruits of their labor.
We’ve made our first harvest of the season, gathering a small crop of potatoes and three lettuces for the kitchen. After lunch, the gardening club shifted to enablement care. Our service users, AB and AW, helped some residents get involved, planting beetroot, carrots, and lettuce in the wheelchair-friendly raised beds. Others watered the potatoes, strawberries, and planters. We wrapped up the day with a well-earned rest and a large glass of cherryade.
A big thank you to all our service users and our wonderful Lisa for her dedication and commitment. Well done, everyone!
We spent a productive morning at the allotment, where everyone pitched in to plant the remaining main crop potatoes, cauliflower, and cabbages. After our hard work, we headed to Enablement Care for a delicious lunch of cottage pie and raspberry crumble, lovingly prepared by Janet. Many thanks to Cayton for his dedication and hard work with the group.
Special recognition goes to April B. for her amazing job weeding and planting the cauliflower and cabbage plants. Keep up the great work, April!
We had a delightful day at Newstead Abbey, with perfect weather and just the right temperatures. Unlike our usual A-to-B walks, today’s stroll was leisurely and unstructured, allowing us to truly appreciate the beauty around us. We soaked in the vibrant colours, captivating smells, and rich history of the surroundings. Even the most anxious members of our group were beaming with smiles and appeared quite relaxed as we explored!
As always, we concluded our adventure at the teashop, where we enjoyed our packed lunches alongside tea, coffee, and delicious cakes – with some of us indulging in seconds. It was a 10/10 day!
The community hub open day was a lovely, successful event. Throughout the day, we engaged collaboratively with attendees to discuss their preferences for the services provided at the hub. This interaction offered valuable insights and fostered a shared vision for future projects.
We were also pleased to generate ideas for the upcoming summer fair in July. This promises to be an exciting opportunity for further community involvement and enjoyment.
Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated the calming atmosphere of the hub and expressed enthusiasm for the new projects. Many are looking forward to regular meet-ups, and they valued having a welcoming space available during times of anxiety.
The hub will be open on Wednesdays from the 8th of May 2024.
Thank you to all who attended the staff meetings at the back end of last month.
During this time, you were all asked to nominate a staff member who you felt deserved a special mention for their commitment to the people we support, dedication to the company and an overall team player.
We can now share with you all that the votes have been counted, and it was inspirational to read the words you all said about one another.
It was a close vote!
A big CONGRATULATIONS to Catherine, community support worker and Melissa, night care worker. Your colleagues had wonderful words to say about you, and we, as a management team, can say the same.
Catherine, your colleagues said that you were committed to the people you support, nothing is too much trouble, you always strive to make sure that goals and outcomes are achieved.
Melissa, your colleagues said you were an all rounder, you lead a shift as a shift lead should, you have the residents best interest at the heart of what you do.
Congratulations to you both!
Please come to the office on Wednesday 1st May at 645pm to celebrate your achievements.
In our ongoing commitment to foster a culture of recognition and appreciation, we’re happy to announce the initiation of the 2024 Person-Centred Care Awards. This initiative is designed to spotlight and recognise our staff members’ dedication and exceptional work, who are at the heart of providing compassionate and individualised care to our residents and service users.
A nomination box will be present during our staff meetings, inviting each team member to nominate a colleague they believe embodies the principles of person-centred care. This is your opportunity to shine a light on a colleague’s hard work and dedication.
We ask that you accompany your nomination with a few sentences explaining why this person deserves recognition. This could be an account of their compassion, innovative approach to care, or unwavering support of residents, service users and colleagues.
After all meetings have concluded, we’ll tally the votes. The staff member who receives the most nominations will receive a special gift and a certificate in the first phase of the 2024 awards, marking their outstanding contribution to person-centred care.
The Person-Centred Care Awards are more than just a gift; they reflect our collective values and commitment to recognising our staff’s incredible work. By nominating a colleague, you acknowledge their excellence and help us to foster a culture of appreciation and mutual respect.
We encourage everyone to participate enthusiastically in this process. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and compassionate care that define our team.
Stay tuned for updates and the stories of our nominees and winners, which we’ll share in our upcoming blogs, our website, and social media. Let’s make the 2024 Person-Centred Care Awards memorable and inspiring for everyone involved.
At Enablement Ark we make use of so many materials which would otherwise go to landfill or simply be dumped. And our animals and service users are very grateful!
Here at Enablement Ark we have been using old tyres to provide a ‘dish’ for the hay in the goat enclosure. They also love to climb on top of the tyres when we pile them up. Goats are naturally skilled climbers – did you know this? They are curious and active animals so climbing and balancing can be a form of play and exercise as well as survival.
With donated old pallets, we have been able to make shelving and along with tree branches, our volunteers and service users have created perches for our chickens.
For more information about services offered to young people with additional needs at Enablement Ark, please email us on enablementark@challengect.co.uk
We thought getting to know our staff and their job roles would be a lovely idea. We have an incredibly professional and motivated team that inspires us daily. Next up in our ‘meet our staff’ series is Nicky King from Community Enablement Team and Enablement Care.
Q. What is your role with Community Enablement Team and Enablement Care?
Registered Manager of both Enablement Care and Community Enablement Team.
Q. How long have you been working in care, and how did you get into it?
I started working in care eight years ago. I spoke to a friend who had always worked in care, and she told me I would be great in a care role, so I plucked up the courage to change my career path. I have never looked back; it was the best decision ever!
Q. What does the future hold for you? Do you have an area of special interest?
The future is full of positives and much more hard work and studying.
Q. What is your favourite part of your job?
Interacting with the service users and knowing that you have made a difference in their lives somehow or in some way. Working alongside staff and helping and guiding where I can.
Q. What’s the worst part of your job?
That is a difficult one; I would only say that sometimes the hours can be very long, but sometimes it is needed to ensure everyone is happy.
Q. Do you have a funny story to tell?
Most recently, I was talking to a resident; she asked where I was going – I told her I was going out to work in the community, to which she replied, “You’re like dog s**t you get everywhere.” That really made me laugh!
Q. What’s your superpower? I’m pretty sure all carers have one.
I think I am a bubbly person, and I always try to get people to sing and dance with me, no matter where we are, and they do so. I think my superpower name should be Dancing Queen.
Q. What do you think is unique about Community Enablement Team?
It allows our service users to live their best lives, enjoying time doing what makes them happy. Whether that is maintaining their bills and household chores or going to the seaside, disco or archery, there is nothing our team will not be happy to support with.
Q. What advice would you give anyone just beginning their caring career?
Take each day as it comes; no two days are the same. That is the best part of the role.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Being a carer means that no working day will be the same.
You need to take care of yourself; remember to be patient; everyone is an individual.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself; this passes on to the service user.
Feel free to ask questions and learn from your mistakes.
Build a relationship! That is the most important aspect of care.
Q. What do you think of the training facilities at CET?
We have exceptional in-house training and have recently moved onto an e-learning programme, allowing everyone to learn as many new parts of care as possible.
Q. What would you be doing if you weren’t working in care?
I would probably still be working in the accounts department of the family business that my husband has built up.
Q. What’s your favourite activity outside of work?
I am a massive Liverpool FC fan, travelling all of England and Europe to watch them. When I am not at work, I ensure I get to as many matches as possible!
