Special Causes Our Carers Care About

People get into care because they… well… care! Here we share two of the special causes our people care about, and explain why they’re so close to their hearts.

Chestnut Tree House

In December 2021 carers at our Worthing branch hosted a stall at the Rustington Christmas Market and decided to raise funds for local hospice Chestnut Tree House.

“Chestnut Tree House is a very special place” says Bluebird Care Worthing deputy manager Kieran Rayner. It’s a centre for end of life care children with complex terminal needs, and respite for the parents of children whose problems are very complex.

“In my previous life as a chef I worked there for two weeks. It’s a beautiful place and I tremendously respect the carers who work there. But seeing children pass away is one of the worst things you can experience, especially knowing nothing you can do will change that. Honestly, two weeks of cooking meals for children I didn’t know would be there to eat them when I went round the next day with them… that was about all I could cope with. I can’t imagine how hard it is for their carers.

“For the fundraising, I had the idea to take our Bluebird Care branded Toyota Aygo and fill it with balloons and ask people to pay to guess how many were in there to win a Christmas hamper. All proceeds went to Chestnut Tree House.

Joined by care supervisor Jackie Joyce and carers Cheryl Gill and Theresa Hunt, the team together raised over £300 to help children receive better end of life care.

“I’m continually blown away by the kindness of carers,” says Kieran. “Whether it’s at a hospice or in Bluebird Care, I think you have to have a certain mindset to work in this industry. The difference between the two is at Chestnut Tree House they deal with children, whereas we’re dealing with adults.

“When our customers pass, you can console yourself that they’ve had a long and fruitful life. Whereas the children being looked after at Chestnut Tree House are just at the start of theirs and it’s already ending. It’s so sad, but it’s also amazing that they have a place to live out their last days peacefully. That’s why it was the first place I wanted to raise money for. There are many worthwhile charities, but that one is special and it deserves all the support it can get.”

The British Heart Foundation

Image credit: The Scotsman

Another special cause our carers care about is The British Heart Foundation (BHF).

In fact, we care about it so much that last summer, care support staff at our franchise support centre walked 4 million steps to raise money for the charity!

The BHF funds around £100m of research each year for heart and circulatory diseases – including their causes. With many Bluebird Care customers having experienced, or at risk of strokes, heart disease, vascular dementia and diabetes, it’s a cause that really is incredibly close to our hearts.

The four-person team decided to do the challenge last May to tie in with National Walking Month, and wanted to highlight the benefits of walking to people’s cardiac health.

They monitored their progress using the step counter on the YuLife app, raising £250 for the BHF and walking around the equivalent of the distance to the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt!

 “It is important to keep ourselves active, not just for heart health, but for mental wellbeing too,” our head of people Katy Falconer told homecare.co.uk during the fundraising efforts. “I am lucky enough to live in an area with lots of natural beauty, so it has been wonderful getting to explore some of the local spots.

“I'm proud to be part of an effort supporting the British Heart Foundation,” she continued. “[It’s] a charity that touches so many lives in the UK and has been of vital importance to many of our Bluebird Care customers.”

Image credit: Homecare.co.uk

“As a result of the pandemic and the tough times that ensued, it has been hard to have a reason to get up and move out of the house,” added Bluebird Care accounts assistant Kelsey Littlefield. "This challenge has been a real game-changer for my mental health, and the fact it is raising money for such a great cause has made it even more fulfilling.”

Caring is a calling

“Working in care can have its challenges but it’s also immensely rewarding,” reflects Kieran. All of our workers are very special in what they do, and the fact they’ve given up their time to care in the community when there are other career choices out there. It’s the same with fundraising, too. I always feel it’s a remarkable gift to be that compassionate that you want to do things for people you don’t even know.

“For that reason, we’re always very clear and open with prospective applicants. It’s fine to come in for a chat before an interview about what the job entails; the aspects of personal care, the aspects of medicine and administration; the whole thing. Having a chat lets potential carers and ourselves weigh up whether they’d be a right fit for healthcare work.

“It’s definitely a job with a calling,” reflects Kieran. “When I stopped being a chef I went into working in care working with people who had very intense, challenging behaviour. I’ve since been a care supervisor, worked in a care home, and now I’m deputy manager at Bluebird Care Worthing. So it’s also a calling that can have a clear career progression if you want it to.

“And of course, you occasionally get to all get together and do amazing things for the wider community too, just like we’ve talked about here!”

Are you considering a career in care?

We’re always looking for new faces to join our team and help us deliver much-needed care to even more people. So if you think a career in care could be for you, we’d love to hear from you!

Visit our Worthing careers page for care roles in Worthing, or get in touch to have a chat about what being a carer really involves.

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