Simply lovable you are, forever in my heart, How many times kissing everyone, guess it was you showing love and affection I remember my very first shift, out in car sticking your tongue out at me phew right in my ear you went. Really you were our mischievous lass – Loved and missed by us all.” Dotti Gibbons. Oaklea Care & Support
Working in social care has it’s challenges – not least is when we make bonds with those we have supported for many years. In the past few weeks we have lost two very well regarded people Oaklea teams have looked after for many years (The number of people who have worked with them are too numerous to mention – but they know who they are and what they did to make the lives of these two people so much better over the years)
Let us begin our journey of tributes….
Lest we forget – Katy & Shirley
Forever in our thoughts….
“We loved you our Shirl, you left us memories to treasure, Even when in Lowther Park you told us Shelley lived in office I had fun with that when you were noisy I’d say shhh you will wake Shelley up. Our Shirley Taylor nobody will ever take your place, sad we wont see you again. But I treasure so many memories my friend that you gave to me Fly high Shirley T our shinning star in the sky.” Dotti Gibbons (Excerpt from her poem read out below)
Oaklea’s Dotti Gibbons paid her own very personal tribute with this extended poem she crafted…over the years she supported both Shirley and Katy – here she recites her poem…(and on behalf of all who came into contact with Katy & Shirley)
How they will be remembered..
As Dotti mentions in her poem….Shirley had a cheeky side….
Matthew Douglas, now Young People’s Team Manager, worked at both Garth Brow and Lowther Park when he started at Oaklea: “I supported Katy and Shirley about a decade ago. My memories of Shirley are of a cheeky, smiley person and a bit of a prankster – but always good to be around on shifts supporting her. She used to call everyone old man or cat lady!”
Alex Williams, Registered Manager for South Lakes (and supported Katy for 12 years)
“It’s been a massive shock for our teams – Katy had just moved into Garth Brow at the end of last year. It’s been really sad and our customers have taken it bad too. We are still taking in the news. We are giving as much support as needed to our employees and they’re of course supporting each other at this difficult time. We’re planning a memory tree for Katy at Garth Brow.”
Always on my mind…a screensaver is a lovely reminder for those forever in our hearts…
“Everything you did brought a smile, or tear to my eye“
