Former army officer and martial arts expert turns to a career in care
CASE STUDY, Tony Clarke – August 2018
A former Army officer, police officer, vehicle electrician, martial arts instructor and personal trainer! There’s not much that Tony Clarke can’t do! And now he is also the only male carer at Bluebird Care Cherwell & North Bucks.
At the age of 18, Tony became a member of the Territorial Army, serving for four years. At the same time, he started learning the style of Lau Gar, Kung Fu and after leaving the army, he joined the Thames Valley Police Force. Here Tony was trained in Tai Jitsu and applied what he learnt whilst on duty.
He then went on to train in other martial arts including Karate, stick fighting and knife defence. Also gaining diplomas in Martial Arts Training, Coaching Skills, Personal Fitness training and Sports Injury Therapy. With this training under his belt, he established a Karate Club and set up one-day self protection and personal safety courses for Tewkesbury Borough Council.
Caring for people’s safety wasn’t the only form of care which Tony was providing. He had previously looked after his mother-in-law for 8 years who had Parkinson’s. For the last 18 months, Tony has been a key carer at Bluebird Care Cherwell & North Bucks.
When asked about life as a care assistant, Tony said:
“I’ve done washing, cleaning and looking after clients. I find it really enjoyable and have never looked back”.
Bluebird Care assistants are predominately female, a contrast to the Army and Police force.
Tony commented: “I’ve worked with lots of older women, it’s just wonderful.”
Tony went on to talk about the rewarding aspects of being a care assistant:
“I treat people as if they were my own family. Recently one client who I cared for passed away. He was an amazing man! I received a card from the client’s family, it was rewarding to help them.”
Feeling inspired by Tony’s story? Bluebird Care is looking for new staff to join their team of Care Assistants.
Bluebird Care is a national provider of care in the home, specialising in working with customers who live with dementia, physical disabilities and many other acute and chronic conditions. Bluebird Care work alongside their customers’ families, social services and the NHS to ensure each person receives the care they need.
Bluebird Care offers a unique service of tailored care visits which range from anything from 30 minutes to long full-day visits. As well as personal care they also help with meal preparation, welfare checks, shopping, social trips, visits to the hospital and provide extra support for post-discharge customers.
For more details about Bluebird Care Cherwell & North Bucks call 01869 324293, email cherwell@bluebirdcare.co.uk or visit their website www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/cherwell-north-bucks
