Allyson said: “After leaving school I attended a year-long youth training scheme at Shipley College, called caring for people. As part of my placement, I worked alongside the physiotherapy team at Bradford Royal Infirmary for six months, working on the orthopaedic and medical wards assisting patients following surgery to mobilise them so they could return home. I found this really rewarding and after the course finished, I knew I wanted to work in the care sector.
“I therefore applied for a position as a care assistant at Fairmount Nursing Home in Nab Wood near Saltaire and worked there for five years during which time, I was promoted to senior care assistant. The home then became part of Czajka Care Group, and I successfully applied to become its registered manager, holding that role for 15 years, helping to grow it from 14 to 40 bedrooms.
“In 2009 I joined Czajka Care Group’s community care division as a senior manager across Bradford and Leeds for three years. After the division was sold, I moved internally again to Czajka Care Group’s home for disabled adults – Staveley Birkleas. Then 18 months ago, I moved to Brookfield Care Home as a support manager, which is right next door to where Fairmount Nursing Home was before it was converted into retirement homes, so I have come full circle!
“I absolutely love my role, which involves supporting the whole team of 55 at Brookfield Care Home and overseeing the delivery of care to our residents. I have always been very hands on in all my roles over the years and am passionate about providing a high standard of personalised care.
“I love the fact that that Czajka Care Group is a family owned and run group – it really does make all the difference and makes everything so much more personal. I can’t believe it’s been more than 30 years since I started working in care – it’s gone so quickly! Lots has changed in the industry over the years, but one thing that stays the same is it’s a people business – by putting residents first and honouring their wishes and meeting their needs you can make a really big difference to their lives.”
Managing director of Czajka Care Group, Konrad Czajka, added: “Allyson is like a family member and her dedication and loyalty to our company over so many years is outstanding. She has been part of our valued team for 30 years, and we are so grateful to her for all that she does. It’s rare these days for people to stay at the same care company for long, but we are very lucky that people like Allyson, and many others, remain with us giving that continuity or care and consistency that is so important.”
Czajka Care Group recently investment more than £850,000 in a major extension and refurbishment programme, creating eight new en-suite rooms at Brookfield Care Home. The popular home provides full-time care, respite care, palliative care, day care and short breaks and is rated as ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). There are 45 en-suite rooms at Brookfield Care Home and just two available places currently.
Brookfield Care Home is part of the wider Fairmount Park development which includes a collection of 45 retirement homes and The Clubhouse, a first-class leisure facility, all within immaculate grounds on Nab Wood Drive near Saltaire.