Case Study: Mel's Story

Meet Mel, Lead Care Supervisor at Bluebird Care Worcester & Wychavon, and finalist in the Team Member of the Year Award at the Bluebird Care Awards 2023. 

I followed in my mum’s footsteps when I became a carer. She did it for around 30 years and both of my sisters have been carers too. I first became a carer 26 years ago; I worked nights because I had two young children at home. 

It was in 2014 that I joined Bluebird Care. My daughter started at the same time, and she’s Lead Coordinator. When I joined, I was a part time Care Expert. My little boy was three, and I gradually built up my hours as he got older. 

In 2020 I was promoted to Lead Care Supervisor and I do supervisions and reviews. During the pandemic I went out quite a bit supporting a lot of customers that had no families. 

One of our customers, Rebecca, was 82 and On Christmas Day her family couldn’t make it because they had Covid. My husband cooked dinner and I took it to her and sat with her while she ate. We Facetimed her daughter so that she could say: ‘Happy Christmas’ to her, and they had a chat over the phone.  

I’m now a 52-year-old mother of five, our youngest son is living at home and he’s 13. I work full time. I love it. I like to meet the customers and chat with them. They look forward to seeing me. I love delivering care, it’s rewarding knowing that you have helped someone, that you have put a smile on their face. I want the customers to be happy and to be safe. 

Another one of our customers, Mary, was in her eighties and had dementia. We were all quite close to her. She didn’t have any family to support her. When my mum passed away, we sorted out my mum’s clothes and I sent some clothes to Mary. I did her garden in my spare time, myself, my son, and my daughter did it one weekend. I also arranged for her dog to be groomed and took it to the vets for checkups in my spare time. 

I like helping people. I like to be kept busy. I don’t like people struggling and if I can help them I will. Bluebird Care feels like a family to me, we all support each other, it’s a friendly atmosphere, it’s nice. We are a close-knit office and we’re very lucky that we have a really good team. 

The director has always believed in me. He has given me the confidence that I can progress, he has helped me all the way. I’m forever grateful to him for supporting me. In 2020 I won the Bluebird Care National Covid-Hero Award. In 2023 I was a finalist in the Bluebird Care Awards. I was shocked that I’d been nominated! 

I’m just a caring person. I always put everyone else before myself. There isn’t a day when I say that I don’t want to go to work. I love Bluebird Care.