Bright and early on Saturday 20 April, Charlotte and Abbi  arrived at Heathcotes Oadby packed and ready for their trip to Majorca with Laura and Ella.  After a busy start to the day checking bags and after missing the correct turnoff from the motorway, the girls arrived at the airport!  After check-in the girls wasted no time in taking advantage of the shopping facilities at Birmingham airport, trying on hats, palm tree sunglasses and sparkly tiaras before filling their tummies ready for take-off.  Both nervous and excited, Laura, Ella, Abbi and Charlotte boarded their flight to Majorca armed with supplies and blankets .A long four-hour journey later and the four girls arrived in stunning Cala Bona, Majorca. Tired from their travelling the girls had some pizza before heading to bed, excited for what lay ahead.

The girls awoke to a beautiful sunny morning in Majorca and following a walk into Cala Bona for supplies, they decided to check out the facilities and were met with a huge swimming pool with a bridge and small pool which was just right for Laura.  Ella wasted no time in jumping straight into the clear water, her satisfied grin not preparing Charlotte for the ice-bath that awaited!  She established that the only way to get past the initial shock was to jump in the deep end and tread water like her life depended on it!  Laura and Abi decided it would be far more fun to bask in the glorious sunshine instead!   A lovely afternoon followed consisting of relaxing, playing etch-a-sketch, completing word searches and listening to music, after which the girls returned to the apartment and dressed themselves up to walk to the harbour for dinner.  Laura’s fancied lasagne, so the girls first restaurant call of the week was for an Italian, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. After a busy and tiring first day, the girls took a slow walk through the harbour back to the apartment and relaxed watching TV before heading to bed full, satisfied and in great moods.

By day two and three it was essential that the girls checked out what else the hotel had to offer. Unsurprisingly, Laura’s face lit up when we discovered a humongous pirate ship with slides and gadgets! Even Ella was happy to join Laura in the still freezing cold water for some imaginative pirate play before chilling out in the shade for a nap. Not only were the facilities highly satisfactory but all four girls had started to become friendly with the Thomson staff who regularly wandered the pool area looking for willing victims to play water polo, take part in the quiz and the 4pm dancing. The staff were joined by a rather large pooch, Thomson the dog, who made a best friend in both Laura and Ella who waited eagerly at 2pm every day for his arrival so they could have cuddles and photos. With a bit of persuasion,

 Abbi and Charlotte reluctantly agreed that is was perhaps time to start engaging in the hotel activities and by the evening of day two the four girls took part in ‘Quizioke’. Their earlier reluctance however soon became excitement and full involvement in the entertainment; singing loudly (and badly, occasionally even into the microphone), running around to take part in games and both Laura and Ella were loving the choice of music. A Heathcotes Girls rendition of, and dance to, Abba – Dancing Queen was completely necessary and warranted Laura’s trademark hair whipping!

By mid-week the four girls were thoroughly enjoying their holiday, taking routine walks to the harbour and the local shop, trying out new restaurants for dinner and taking part in the hotel entertainment. During one of their daily walks, Ella decided that she quite fancied a Chinese for dinner. Enjoying the warm evening air the girls sat and enjoyed the sea-view and a good natter.As the end of the week drew closer the girls were still enjoying the hot weather and time out to relax and catch some sun.  A very nice neighbour had offered us their lilo and both Ella and Laura were excited to get using it in the pool. Ella, still not bothered by the cool water, was having a great time relaxing on the lilo in the pool and having a laugh with the hotel reps.  Laura was still reluctant to use the big pool, but took her turn with the lilo in the small pool, splashing and laughing. By this time it had become a daily job that the girls took part in the 4pm dance class with the reps and both Ella and Laura had picked up some killer moves to take back with them to Heathcotes.

On the last day emotions were running a little high and while an eager Ella was packed and patiently waiting to spend a lazy day by the pool, Laura was less happy to leave the apartment and looked set to make a permanent move!  After a little persuasion from Charlotte and Abbi that it may be Laura’s last chance to say goodbye to her new friend, Thomson the dog, the girls were ready to be heading home. The four girls enjoyed their last quiz, final cuddles with Thomson and filling meal by the pool before it was time to make the transfer to Palma airport. After a cheeky nap on the coach and check-in, the girls made the most of their last few hours in Spain by checking out the duty free, buying sweets and toys to take home. 

Exhausted from their busy week in Majorca, the four girls returned to the UK to be met by Emma and Maninder, still full of excitement and with lots of fun stories to tell to!

For more information on the services we offer click here, or to make a referral please call our Operations Co-ordinator, Kathie Devenish on 01246 556453 or 07734 997639.

Below, Natasha shares her story and experience of the recruitment process from the candidates' perspective:

I’ve been at Glenfield in the role of support worker and latterly Acting Team Leader for just over a year now.  I have loved my time there, but when I saw that Heathcotes were opening a new home in Leicester and were looking for a Team Leader I thought I would apply, as I felt it would be really exciting to be a part of building up a home from scratch and seeing it develop.  I was so nervous waiting to hear back after sending off my application, but even more nervous once I found out I’d been invited to the assessment day and interview!  My manager was so supportive,  I don’t think I could have done it without her; that’s one of the things I love about Heathcotes – there’s always room to better yourself and progress and the managers support that.

On the day of the assessment, I was greeted by the other candidates and they were so friendly.  There were 7 of us for the team leader roles.  Before lunch we had 2 exercises during group assessment - 1 was a presentation and another was building up a support plan for a new service user around behaviours.  Brendan Kelly, Operations Director popped in to see us during lunch and said how well we’d all done, which was really nice of him.  Mick Murphy, Training Co-ordinator also nipped in.  It was a really nice day, considering it was an interview!  During lunch my nerves started to kick in more knowing after I was going to have my individual interview in front of a panel of 3. 

When Tracy Mason (Operations Manager) called me through, I felt adrenalin kick in and told myself that I can do it!  Tracy, Gary Tideswell (Registered Manager, Heathcotes New Mills) and Kathie Devenish (Operations Co-ordinator) asked me as series of questions, such as what qualities I thought a team leader should have.  Once everyone had their interviews, we were told we would find out within a week whether we were successful or not.  As the next week went on, I found myself in a reflective mood constantly when I was at work and replaying memories in my head and thinking how much I’d miss that place, staff and service users if I was successful, they are all my Heathcotes family!

The following Friday I got a call in the morning and it was Tracy.  I answered the phone whilst shaking like a leaf waiting for the news; I couldn’t believe it when she said she'd like to offer me the job… I think I screamed a little!  She said I did really well and congratulated me, I think I must of said thank you about 50 times!  I’m so looking forward to the next chapter and can’t wait to start my new job, but I’ll still never forget my time at Glenfield and the people there, especially the service users who will always have a place in my heart.  I learnt that if you want to go for something then do it, because the only person standing between you and success is yourself!

Congratulations to Natasha, Nilly and Lisa - we wish you all the very best of luck in your new roles!

Heathcotes staff worked on their training delivery skills, preparation and lesson planning, culminating in the delivery of 4 high-quality training sessions on: 'How to Make a Cup of Tea'.  Assumed to be a simple everyday task, through the training, learners acquired transferrable skills teaching others how to “brew up”, to plan and deliver more complex, skills-based social care related learning in their service.

Heathcotes Care views staff Learning & Development as a key component in ensuring that we provide high quality services.  Our commitment to training is accordingly reflected in our investment in training resources.  Heathcotes staff receive comprehensive on-going training to ensure both our management teams and support workers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver the high-quality, person-centred care that we are so proud of.

Emma Bugby, Heathcotes United Team Founder and Registered Manager of Heathcotes Oadby said, 'It was an absolute joy to see all the lads bonding and having such a good time and the smiles on their faces afterwards were priceless!'.

Heathcotes United's next match will see them playing against 'Jack Shaw FC' on May 06, with upcoming matches on May 13 ⁽9.20pm kick-off) against 'Booker Allstars and May 20 ⁽8.00pm kick-off) against 'Sporting Leicester FC' - good luck boys!

Nikki has recently completed her NVQ Level 2 and is currently undertaking a diploma in Mental Health and Social Care.

Keeley Ward, Behaviour Specialist and Head of the Heathcotes Behaviour Team said, 'We are really looking forward to having Nikki come on-board; she brings with her a wealth of previous experience and a real passion to achieve positive outcomes for the people we support.  I am sure she will be a valuable addition to the team and I am looking forward to working with her.'

Congratulations Nikki and good luck in your new role!

"Today I arrived at the café and was introduced to the staff and people I would be working with. They showed me were to hang my coat and gave me my new uniform.

I met Eddie my tutor for the day.  Eddie explained how the café was run and what was expected from me. Eddie explained the fire procedures and showed me the evacuation point. I was shown how to wash my hands in the correct manner and taught basic health and safety upon arrival to work.

Eddie showed me how to operate the dish washer which I found exciting and was very pleased with myself after putting on a dish washer cycle by myself. I was shown where the cutlery went and also was shown the various types of chopping boards.

I set the tables in the café and said good morning to my first customer.

Today I will be helping with domestic tasks such as the washing up and cleaning and also learning my way around the kitchen. I am very excited for next week and keen to learn more new skills."

Terry will be sending us regular blogs to update us on his progress; watch this space for the next installment!

At Heathcotes we strongly believe that individuals have a fundamental right to access the roles and activities that are important to them.  To make a referral to any of our services, please click here, or call 01246 556 453.

Sunday March 18 marked this year's Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday as it is more traditionally known).  This annual celebration where families up and down the country pay tribute to the role their mums, or maternal influences, play in their lives is often traditionally marked with the giving of cards and gifts by way of giving thanks - and Natalie who lives at Heathcotes Glenfield decided to do exactly that!

With support from her keyworker Chloe, Natalie decided to get crafty and go for the personal touch of a handmade card.  Natalie and Chloe got to work with feathers and glitter, even including a picture of Natalie; the result was a truly unique and special card for Natalie to give to her mum. 

At Heathcotes we believe that individuals have a fundamental right to access the roles, relationships and activities that are important to them.  All activities and opportunities are tailor made and include hobbies and pastimes, sporting activities, cookery, access to local community facilities, home visits, celebration of life events, spiritual need and life skills development.  To make a referral to our services click here, or call 01246 556 453.

Tom was nominated by several of his colleague as well as his manager, who had this to say about him:

"Tom is alway smiling and happy.  Tom works really well with the service users; he is hard working and works well within the team.  Tom is a young man who has worked at New Mills since January 2012; he is a very polite young man and is always respectful towards others, he works well with the service users and always puts their needs first.  Tom is a great role model for any new staff who come to work at Heathcotes New Mills.  When Tom supports the service users it shines through how much they like him; he always encourages the service users to be independent as possible and empowers them to make choices in their life to ensure they experience new opportunities, if they so wish. Tom also supports the service user to develop any existing skills within the home."

Tom receives £100 gift vouchers for the store of his choice.  Congratulations to Tom from all at Heathcotes!

 Other nominations for February were:

Justine Moffatt, Heathcotes Glenfield

" Justine never complains, always gets on and is always on the ball. She’s constantly helpful, never has a lazy day and is so easy to get along with"

"Really enjoy being on shift with her."

"She Never moans, keeps busy, works well with service users and always tries to help everyone out."

"Works well with service users, is very energetic and warms the house up."

"Works hard.  Always willing to help."

Laura Daly, Heathcotes Kirby Muxloe 

Nominated by her colleagues and manager for setting up Twitter for the staff and getting the whole team excited about Twitter and generating lots of photographs which are being used for PC.

John Hunt, Heathcotes Knollbeck

"We nominate John for supporting AH to achieve his NAPPI award."

Becki Yardley, Heathcotes Bridlington

"Becki is a Team Leader in Bridlington and has been a valued employee for 10 years.  Through this time Becki has mentored new staff members, undertaken supervisions, supported staff members in any way possible and has provided a high standard of care to meet the service users’ needs".

Adel Craven, Heathcotes Balby

Nominated for her team work by her colleagues as well as her positive attitude.

'Flash', Heathcotes Whitley

"Flash transferred to Whitley just before December - this was initially to help get things up and running smoothly. Since December Flash has really enjoyed working here and has now transferred permanently.  Flash as a team leader sets a great example and is a very loyal, highly skilled and an all-round trustworthy employee.  Flash has also recently taken on his Level 5 qualification which will just add to his knowledge and skills even more!"

Robert Hartley, Heathcotes Blackburn

"For transforming an unused space at Heathcotes Blackburn into a sensory room.  Robert took into account each and every service user’s individual needs when designing the room and gave special though to each person."

Glen Steyn, Heathcotes Wakefield

"Glen is nominated for doing a fantastic job supporting the transition of a new service user who exhibits extremely challenging behaviour. Glen has built a fantastic, trusting relationship with this individual and without Glen’s input the service package would have been very vulnerable. Glen has put himself in physical danger when supporting this individual and has done so with great braveness and calmness. He has managed to divert this person from dangerous incidents and helped protect himself and others." 

Nikky Andrews, Heathcotes Arnold

"Nikky has been fantastic, already showing confidence with service user group.  Made fantastic progress working with RC during difficult times. She has been very complementary with the support she has received from the company, home and training.  She quickly assumed responsibility and is showing positive outcomes for people who live at Arnold.  She has had previous experience of working with a poor care provider and she is astounded by the level of care and support our service users receive."

Claire Wisher, Heathcotes Sawley

Nominated for her organisation of Autism Awareness with ideas for 'Summer at Sawley' with enthusiasm and working on own initiative

Well done to all of February's nominees from all at Heathcotes!

In our effort to do our bit for this fantastic cause, Heathcotes staff across the services including Heathcotes Glenfield and Heathcotes Eversley, as well as staff from Head Office, dressed down for the occasion and came to work for the day - in pyjamas and 'onesies'! 

Any embarrassment went out of the window as our girls from Head Office embraced their new looks; not only in the office, but also on the commute to work, whilst out buying lunch and answering the door to a rather bemused-looking delivery driver!  Their efforts were kindly repaid with generous donations received from family and friends, as well as members of the public, local police.... and even the bemused (but impressed) delivery driver!

Heathcotes Head Office even set about involving Heathcotes' Director, David Harrison who tasked our HR Administrators, Vicki Ward and Beth Saunders with sourcing him a onesie.  Due to (what we shall call) a 'technical hitch' (or a distinct lack of adult male onesies for sale in Chesterfield!) 'Mission Onesie' unfortunately failed.  However, not to be defeated, Vicki and Beth employed their improvisation skills and decided to give David a Comic Relief 'make-over'.  As you can see, David is thrilled with his new look, in fact we all think it suits him so much, we are hoping he decides to keep it up:

Mick Murphy, Training Co-ordinator was so impressed, he was inspired to emulate David's new look:

Here is Director of Operations, Brendan Kelly kick starting the onesie-wearing action:

And a few more pictures from the day's fundraising that took place across the Heathcotes services:

Heathcotes would like to say a huge thank-you to everybody who got involved with the fundraising and to all who kindly donated to Heathcotes 'Onesie Friday' in aid of Red Nose Day 2013!

We are happy to report that Andrew has now seen the fruits of his labour, successfully securing a position volunteering at Hucknall charity shop, HEADWAY - a charity set up to give help and support to people affected by brain injury.

Sarah Lycett, Heathcotes Watnall Manager said, 'We are so proud of Andrew for his perseverance with his job hunt; I have no doubt that he will do really well at his placement'. 

Congratulations on this great achievement Andrew and good luck in your new role from all at Heathcotes!

At Heathcotes we believe that individuals have a fundamental right to access the roles, relationships and activities that are  important to them; our aim is to support individuals and empower them to make informed choices.  For more information about our services, or to make a referal please click here or call 01246 556 453.