A visit from Stoke-on-Trent’s Lord Mayor brought smiles and memorable moments for people supported by, and who work for, a local adult social care provider, while opening conversations about her ambitions for dementia care in the city.
Shelton Care Group, part of National Care Group, has provided adult social services in Stoke-on-Trent for almost four decades. During a visit to one of its residential and day services, the Lord Mayor learned how the team of more than 430 colleagues supports 170 people with learning disabilities, mental health support needs, and autism to live their best lives.
People living at residential service, Regent Road, and who attend Links Day Service were overjoyed to welcome Councillor Joan Bell and her husband, Consort Dennis Bell. They posed for photos, shared stories, and in a touching moment, presented the Lord Mayor with a special hand-drawn canvas of Stoke-on-Trent’s coat of arms, captured perfectly on camera.
The Lord Mayor also met Daniella, a remarkable colleague Shelton Care Group once supported at Regent Road. She now lives independently and supports others as a colleague at Links Day Service. Councillor Joan Bell was deeply moved by her transformative story and has invited Daniella to the Mayor’s Chamber of Commerce to celebrate her five-year work anniversary.
Daniella said: “Being a support worker is the best job in the world; it gives me a great sense of achievement. I loved meeting the Lord Mayor and sharing my journey with her.”
During her year in office, the Lord Mayor has pledged to raise awareness of dementia and plans to open more day centres across Stoke-on-Trent for those affected. According to Dementia UK, people with learning disabilities are at a higher risk of developing dementia. The visit also opened conversations about how Shelton Care Group could support this through charitable donations and volunteering opportunities for the people they support.
Katie Fallows, Regional Operations Manager, Shelton Care Group, said: “We were honoured to host the Lord Mayor and showcase the quality work happening here at Shelton Care Group. This visit had so many memorable moments and was also a great opportunity to discuss how we can support the Lord Mayor’s focus on dementia care across Stoke-on-Trent.
“People supported by Shelton Care Group are actively involved in volunteering and community engagement across the city. These opportunities are shaped around each person’s interests, strengths and goals, giving them a real sense of purpose and supporting them to make valued contributions to local organisations.”
Councillor Joan Bell, Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, added: “It was a real pleasure to spend time with Shelton Care Group. The warm welcome was wonderful, and I was especially touched by the thoughtful artwork and the stories people shared with me. I am also delighted that we have started a conversation about working together to raise awareness of dementia and support people affected by it across our city.”
Shelton Care Group, part of National Care Group, one of the UK’s leading adult social care organisations, operates five residential services, two-day support services and outreach support. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated all its services Good. The provision is locally run but benefits from National Care Group’s investment, which ensures high-quality support is delivered by local people, for local people.
For more information, visit www.nationalcaregroup.com
