What is your role?

I am the registered manager for Surrey Support Services, which covers Hartsbrook and The Hilders and Surrey Outreach. All services are in Epsom, Ashtead and Leatherhead area.

What is your work history?

I will have been in my current role for 10 years and social care all my working life. My career started in residential services for children and young adults and I managed a home for teenagers in Surrey before moving on to Scope. Then, The Leanard Cheshire foundation where I worked alongside Leanard Cheshire himself which was very inspiring. We worked to move from large residential services to community based smaller homes.

I then worked for a Religious congregation for 17 years again working to enable people we support to live in small homes and not large institutions.

What inspires you?

I opened Hartsbrook 8 years ago and many of the staff I took on at that time are still working and providing excellent support and care, which has resulted in the people we support developing and taking control of their lives and making so many choices about their daily lives. This is very inspiring.

As a staff team we take our lead from the people we support and design and plan the use of our time around how they want to be supported.

What's your favourite thing to do outside work?

With 6 children and 15 grandchildren, I spend a good deal of my time enjoying family time. I enjoy going to the gym and watching rugby union at our local club, at which I am chairman.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

When I was playing rugby and my eldest son was playing in the same team I can remember him shouting at me, "for goodness sake dad pass the ball", or words to that effect. It just reminded me that to succeed you need to be part of a team and involve everybody. Sound advice from a 16 year old to his dad, advice I have carried with me throughout my life. You need to be part of a team to get the results you are aiming for. I did pass the ball and we won the game!!