Managers' Conference - Team Talk

Diversity teams jump into actionEach of our Diversity teams took part in a community challenge as part of a Diversity Awareness Project that reflected their key areasof age, race, disability and gender. Here is a little about what each of the teams got up to…AgeA team of eight from the Age Diversity team redecorated the lounge at Green Pastures Christian Nursing Hometo make it more welcoming for elderly residents. Team Leader of the Age team, Peter Lockey said, “We believein giving back to the communities we trade in and we were delighted we could help out at Green Pastures.”Anthea Speich, Home Bursar for Green Pastures, said, “We run our service as a not-for-profit charity and relyheavily on help from volunteers. We really appreciate Midcounties’ help. The team completely transformed ourlounge making it a lovely place for us all to do our work. They have helped to boost staff morale and reallylifted our residents’ spirits.”RaceThe 11 volunteers from the Race Diversity team cleared rooms and installed shelving at BK.Luwo, a groupbased at East Oxford Community Centre. The group offers sewing and knitting classes along with computerskills for female refugees. They also provide dancing events and host story-telling sessions to share tales fromtheir homelands, so they can live on through the generations.Volunteer Anne Nicholls, part of the Race team, said, “The rooms look super and everyone worked really hard onthe day. It felt fantastic to help such a worthwhile cause and the group really appreciated their revamped rooms.”DisabilityA team of 13 volunteers brought an overgrown garden back into shape at Agnes Court, a residential home for24 physically disabled adults run by Leonard Cheshire Disability. At Agnes Court, Volunteer Co-ordinator SusanWoodward appreciated the practical assistance from the Disability Diversity team of volunteers.Susan said, “It was fantastic. Our garden was so overgrown and they managed to tame it. They worked reallyhard and also found time to chat to some of our residents.” Paul Ingram, Deputy Leader of the Disability FocusGroup, said, “It gave us an opportunity to help a charity which does so much good work and to show our ownvalues in action.”GenderA team of eight volunteers from our Gender Diversity team spent the day with patients and carersat St Giles Hospice giving manicuresas well as soothing head, shoulder and foot massages andbeauty goodie bags, all accompanied by calming music and a selection of cakes and tea. Therewas also a beautician to give makeovers.Jennifer Goold, Team Leader of the Gender team, volunteered at the hospice. She said, “Theteam really enjoyed spending time getting to know the some of the patients and their families. Itwas important they felt they’d had a special day and the team worked hard to ensure there wasthe perfect, tranquil atmosphere.”Team Talk 25