From a Minister of Religion to Care Home Manager
With a career spanning 20 years in ministry, time in the homeless sector, and a life-changing moment while on holiday in France, Lesley’s journey into the care sector is anything but traditional. Now serving as the Care Home Manager at Bradbury House, she brings a wealth of experience, a passion for supporting older people, and a deep appreciation for the warm community and beautiful Cumbrian surroundings.
Here, Lesley shares her story reflecting on her path into care, what makes life at Bradbury House special and the values that guide her work every day.
How I found my way into care
“To be honest, a career in care was never intentional. I’ve always been in a "people role", but for 20 years this was as a minister of religion within The Salvation Army and afterwards within a homeless charity called Emmaus. I didn’t go into care specifically until, one day, when on holiday in France, I came across a care home manager role in Harrogate whilst I was messing around on my iPad. I’d never lived in the North where my ancestors come from so thought, "mmm… why not?" I applied and got the job.
“I went straight into management which was tough. Had I been a carer working my way up to the management role I would have felt, and still feel, a lot more confident. I know I bring a lot of experience to the role but having been a carer first would have been beneficial. I had three years in the homeless sector and then 20 in the church sector and did a bit of fostering children and for some time worked for Age UK. I've only worked eight years in care and I’m 58, but I shall live out my working life in the care sector.”
Making the move to Bradbury House
“The house I managed with Abbeyfield The Dales was large: it had a 30-bedded residential house attached to a 49-apartment extra care scheme as well as a day centre, and I oversaw all three. I was there for several years and gave it my all, however I felt my wellbeing was being affected so decided it was only right for Fern House and myself to move to a smaller house with less stress and in a peaceful area. Sometimes you have to know when to leave and pass on a role to someone else for your own sake and that of the house.
“Moving into a new role can feel like moving into a new home, and a toy dinosaur sits proudly on my desk. It is there to remind me of Jean, a resident of Fern House who passed away. Every morning she would be looking out of the window for my arrival. Her face lit up when she saw me as did mine when I saw her. She was a proud Scot and could be very awkward, I suspect deliberately as she had a glint in her eye each time she was like that, but lovable. She called me "ma" and gave the best of hugs. If ever I had a bad day she would notice and ask, "Are you alright ma?" The dinosaur belonged to her and serves as a reminder that all we do should be for our residents.”
Life and community at the house
“When I first visited Bradbury House, I instantly felt this is a lovely place to be. The residents and staff are welcoming, and it’s small and intimate. Some of the staff are quite young, others older and have been here for a long time. Some are Cumbrian born and bred; others travelled into the area for holidays, liked it and settled. I understand why, the scenery is breathtaking. Just up the road from the house is England’s tallest mountain, Scafell Pike. It is an honour to live in such a beautiful place. Not many managers get to walk on a long sandy beach after work!
“My favourite moment here so far has been eating with staff and residents, not just because the food here is tasty, but because of the company. Also, if I’m allowed two, chatting to Pat our 100-year-old resident who has a wicked sense of humour and her own idea of how things should be run.
“When anyone walks through our doors, I hope they feel the warmth and welcome I felt, plus the offer of a tea or coffee. We sometimes forget that anyone who walks through our door, whether the postman, a relative, or a contractor, gives us an opportunity to make them feel good for having been here. Who knows what kind of day they might be having?
“Looking ahead, I am most looking forward to showing the residents I will hopefully be permanent, as they have had several interim managers, and getting to know them and their families. Over the next year, we need to recruit a maintenance operative, an activity coordinator and care and kitchen staff. Plus, next door to the house we have a large community room, so the plan is to put it to good use within the local community.
Why older people should never be overlooked
“People fascinate me. I especially love working within the older people’s sector because the wealth of experience older people have is incredible. Older people need to be respected and valued by society but often aren’t as many things seem to be geared towards the young. Even in the church sector where I worked this is so. It is fundamentally wrong, and it is a passion of mine to do my small part to help this change.
“Sadly, my Mum is no longer with me but my Dad is and he’s 82 and lives in the far North of Scotland though a Yorkshireman. He’s an author and worked for many years within The Salvation Army in Italy as its leader. He’s given a lot to the world through his writings and his poetry. There are many older people like my Dad. They should never be overlooked, and they should be given the respect they deserve.”
The Abbeyfield ethos and leadership lessons
“I have always worked within the charity sector. Abbeyfield puts residents first which is as it should be. Monies raised goes back to our residents which, again, is how it should be. I would not want to work for a provider that’s all about money and sadly there are many like that. These providers take advantage of older people who have worked hard all their lives giving to society for their own personal gain. It’s wrong, and I would never darken their door. Abbeyfield supports me to grow in my career too; I recently attended a two-day training course in Authentic Leadership run by Abbeyfield which was very well led.
“One great lesson I brought with me from my last role is that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Yes, there’s lots to do, there’s always things to improve, but be patient: it can’t all be done at once. Keep focused on your vision, and with resilience, passion and patience you will get there in the end, but enjoy the journey. Also, be yourself. When at Abbeyfield The Dales this was something I adhered to and I think was loved because of it. There’s no point being a "pretentious, stuffy manager", as people see behind the façade, both staff and residents.”
Advice for anyone considering a career in care
“If someone were thinking about applying for a job here, I would say apply and don’t hesitate! To anyone wanting to start a career in care, my advice is to be your best self. It is a broken sector. It needs people who are dedicated and committed. It’s also a tough sector, not recognised for the importance it is, but one that can be very rewarding. We will all be old one day, so will our loved ones, let’s care for our residents with that in mind. I wouldn’t say skills are particularly what's most important. You can have a care assistant with loads of skills who simply does not care. I’d rather have someone with the right attitude and a caring nature, as skills can hopefully be taught.”
Life beyond work
“A fun fact about me that the residents and staff might be surprised to learn is that I play the guitar and often use it during resident activities! I feel sorry for the residents at Bradbury House and advise they wear headphones when I play.
“If I could plan any special event or activity for them, I would simply take advantage of where we live: a bus tour of the Wasdale Valley, lunch at Muncaster Castle, then a stop at the beach in Seascale to have a Mawson’s ice cream, with as many scoops as they like.
“When I’m not at work, I like walking along the sandy beach near my flat! Then I like to watch a crime drama, then listen to Audible in bed. And just to make everyone jealous, I can hear the waves when doing so!”
You do not need years of prior experience to make a genuine difference in care. What matters most is a compassionate nature, a willingness to listen, and the right attitude towards supporting older people.
From activities and housekeeping to care assisting and management, a role in care offers the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, learn from extraordinary life stories and bring warmth to our residents every single day.
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