This Professional Care Workers Week, we’re shining a light on our incredible colleagues.
At AFG, we’re proud to have a loyal and dedicated workforce, with many who stay with us for over 20 years. As this week is Professional Care Workers Week, we’re celebrating our amazing people who make a difference every day.
To honour our workforce, we invited nearly 40 colleagues to a special long-service lunch at Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool.
One of those recognised was Karen Elderton from Lancaster, who is marking 20 years at AFG.
Karen has spent 19 years supporting Steven, 57, who has a learning disability and Susan, 62, who has a learning disability and bipolar disorder.
On how she helped build Steven’s trust, Karen said: “When I first started, he wouldn’t even look me in the eye. Now, he’s confident enough to make his own meals and do his shopping.”
On supporting Susan, Karen said: “Susan used to be a dancer and one of our favourite things to do is put on some ballroom ‘strictly’ music and she will teach us her moves. It melts my heart to see people’s progress and how my support has helped improve their independence.
“I love being part of a team providing care and support, so this job is perfect for me.
“My mum was a psychiatric nurse and I always knew I wanted to do something to help others. I joined Alternative Futures Group in 2003 and I’ve never wanted to leave.”
Karen’s passion even inspired her sister to join AFG, where she has also worked for AFG for more than 15 years.
Kirsty Murphy, our Chief People Officer & Chief Operating Officer, who has been with AFG for more than 15 years, said: “The number of colleagues who stay with us for over 10, 15, or even 20 years is a testament to the rewarding and impactful work we do at AFG. It reflects not only the dedication of our team but also how much we value our colleagues and the people we support.
“At AFG, we’re always looking for ways to create better environments and show appreciation for our amazing people. We’ve invested significantly into training and tech to support our teams and over the last two years, we’ve invested £7.9m to make sure everyone is earning a Real Living Wage.
“This Professional Care Workers Week, we want to shine a spotlight on the incredible work these individuals do every day. Their commitment transforms lives and we couldn’t be prouder of the difference they make in our communities.”
Earlier this year, we announced a significant pay rise for more than 1,800 Support Workers across Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
The £4.6m investment by our Board of Trustees increased Support Workers’ hourly rate to £12 per hour. This follows last year’s £3.6m living wage boost, bringing total investment in pay to £7.9m over two years.
We’re currently recruiting across the North West. To explore our vacancies. visit our Careers page.