In December 2020, we announced that Lisieux Trust was going through some changes, and as a result, the organisation underwent a rebrand. As part of this, a new logo and website was introduced; better depicting the fun, loving environment of Lisieux Trust.
Here, CEO, Jess Alsop-Greenacre, discusses some of the motivations behind the rebrand, and teases some insights into what may be coming up in the not-so-distant future.
Monday 8 March 2021 is International Women’s Day, and here CEO, Jess Alsop-Greenacre, explains why female empowerment is particularly important within the disability sector.
This month, we welcomed David Gill to our management team. He has joined the organisation as Deputy Manager, and will be supporting Mary Heap at our Francis House residential care home. We caught up with David to find out a bit more about him and what he hopes to achieve with us.
Welcome to Lisieux Trust, David! What does your new role entail?
I will be supporting residents, and the day-to-day running of Francis House.
Where have you joined Lisieux Trust from?
Before joining Lisieux Trust, I had been working for Precious Homes as a Team Leader.
Do you have any industry awards/certifications?
Yes – I was nominated for an award at the Great British Care Awards.
How did you first get involved with the learning disabilities and autism sector?
I found a job opportunity as a Support Worker whilst looking for something I could do that was important. I wanted a role somewhere I could potentially make a difference and do some good.
What do you like most about working in the care industry?
It is an honour. Some people in the industry are inspirational. They’re heroes.
What was your first impression of Lisieux Trust?
Everyone is very friendly! I feel as though I have found a company whose ideals match with mine.
I get the impression Lisieux Trust is serious about the care provided and the way employees are treated.
What has surprised you most about working with Lisieux Trust so far?
Everyone seems to know everyone!
What are you enjoying most about being at Lisieux Trust so far?
The staff are very knowledgeable and excellent at what they do.
What are some exciting plans you’ve got in the pipeline?
I love activity planning and I hope to open the people we support up to new experiences. I especially want to encourage our residents to stay active during this pandemic, which is an exciting challenge.
If you could give residents and tenants any piece of advice, what would it be?
Get yourself out there – there’s a lot of beautiful things in the world to see and experience, and nothing should hold any of us back from those things.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy watching football, playing video games, walking, listening to music, going to gigs, and travelling.
What football team do you support?
Aston Villa UTV!
What is on your bucket list?
I’d really like to do a tour of Europe.
This month, we welcomed Mikey Gavin to the Lisieux Trust team. He has joined us as a Deputy Supported Living Manager. Mikey brings over three years’ worth of care experience and knowledge, and we’re certainly looking forward to seeing some of the plans he has in store for the organisation.
We caught up with Mikey for a quick chat to learn a little bit more about him, his background, and what he has got planned in the pipeline.
Welcome to Lisieux Trust, Mikey! What will your new responsibilities include?
At the moment, I’m focussing on supporting our current Supported Living Manager, Brendan Griffith, all the tenants in supported living and all the supported living staff.
Where did you work before you joined us?
I had been working for another care provider for the last three years. I joined as a support worker, and was promoted to a team leader within 9 months. 11 months later, I was made a deputy manager.
That was my first role in the care industry. Before that, I was working in construction, which was completely different!
What drew you towards the world of learning disabilities and autism?
I have a nephew with autism; he helped me to learn a lot more about what autism is, and what people with autism need. When I first started working in the industry, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, though. My nephew has never really presented challenging behaviours, so that was something I had to learn to understand and manage.
What do you like most about working in the care industry?
The residents and tenants, definitely! They always know how to cheer me up. If I ever start a shift in a bad mood, I can always guarantee I’ll leave in a good mood.
What was your first impression of Lisieux Trust?
It’s like a family! Like one big family, where everyone supports each other. It’s great.
What has surprised you most about working at Lisieux Trust so far?
How close everyone is! I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s great how everyone knows each other; tenants and residents know each other, even though they live in different houses. There’s a good sense of community amongst everyone in the Trust.
I’ve also been really surprised by how long many of the staff have worked here. Some have been here for years and years, which really says a lot about the organisation!
What are you enjoying about your role so far?
I’m really enjoying just joining the environment. It’s a great place to be. I had my first sleep-in shift last
week, and it was really nice. It felt like I was just spending an evening with family.
What exciting plans have you got in the pipeline?
I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with revitalising our PBS (positive behaviour support). I have tonnes of experience with them, and think I can really help.
If you could give our residents and tenants one piece of wisdom, what would it be?
Keep doing what makes you happy!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m interested in sports, music, and all the typical things!
Lastly, what’s on your bucket list?
Make a bucket list! I don’t actually have one, but I think I should probably make one soon.