Angela is the Assistant Head of Care for our Learning Disabilities Service in Essex.
“I’m still as enthusiastic about the job now as I was 20 years ago. I’m currently championing co-production at Peabody, and it’s exciting to see it gain momentum. Co-production not only values the opinions and contributions of people with a learning disability, but it gives them real power and autonomy over how the services they receive are shaped.”
Favourite part of the role
“Peabody genuinely value their staff which makes it a great company to work for. Everybody is so friendly and there is always someone there to give advice when needed.
“My motivation is always that tomorrow will be better than today for the people we support. Our customers are the reason I’m here and it’s such a privilege to be part of their journey. I see them grow in confidence and ability despite many challenges, which is so inspiring and a daily reminder that nothing is impossible.
“And our frontline support team are just amazing! They’ve really shone during the lockdowns. Their ability to adapt while still maintaining ‘normality’ for the customers is a testament to their commitment. I’m often in awe of how creative the range of customer experiences are: examples include supporting customers to hatch and then rear pet ducks, supporting customers to keep butterfly gardens where they learnt about and observed caterpillars transform into butterflies, and the opening of ‘shops’ within services.”
Why Angela joined Peabody
“I worked in a council-run elderly care home when I was about 19. When that closed, I started working with people who have learning disabilities. My plan at the time was to join the police, but I loved working in this sector so much that when I enrolled on a two-year college course studying health and social care.
“I’ll have been here 20 years in February, and during this time I’ve held quite a few positions! I’ve been a Support Worker, Supported Housing Manager, Nursing Services Manager, Registered Manager, Deputy Operations Manager and now I’m Assistant Head of Care.”
What makes her smile
“My seven-year-old grandson Lenny. He just melts my heart and can instantly lift my mood.
“I also love any type of DIY—painting and decorating, upcycling furniture, building projects... During lockdown, I learnt the paint pour technique which I used on old furniture. This was a messy process, but the results were fantastic. I also took up painting by numbers, which is a lot harder than you’d think, but very therapeutic.”