Category Archives: New Starter

We didn’t want to leave them hanging about on the Intranet on their own, so now that we’ve got four (relatively) new starters, let’s find out more about them!

Gillian Viragh – HR Administrator

Our latest addition to the HR department has spent most of her working career in HR, with her previous position at a small, family-run planning company lasting for seven years… when she was only supposed to be the maternity cover for 10 months!

Gillian was browsing for jobs when she came across the one at Derian House, and it was exactly what she was looking for. She’s lived next door to us for a whopping 24 years, and is only a six-minute walk away. Not only is it super convenient, but over the years she’s heard loads about the amazing work that our charity does, and she wanted to be a part of it.

Gillian loves working with people, and especially watching staff members develop throughout their career. She’s already hit the ground running when it comes to recruitment, having been part of the employment of over ten members of staff since she first started back in February.

Outside of work, Gillian enjoys planning holidays abroad and being mum to Maisy and Marnie.

FUN FACT: Gillian and her twin brother were born in Hungary!

Paula Buchanan – Administrator/Receptionist

After 35 years working in a range of customer service roles, Paula sought after a job where she could truly make a difference, and was at a point in her life where she wanted to be a part of something special.

With a stretch of 16 years of HomeServe, Paula brings to Derian a range of experience of working with people, and she’s already made a big impression with our Reception volunteers who she works closely alongside.

When she first started with us early last month, our Administrator was looking forward to being part of a team that supports one another, and meeting all of our staff and volunteers – and she’s absolutely loving it!

When she’s not at work, Paula loves running, and is mum to both Oliver and Mia, and dog mum to Norma the seven-year-old Shih Tzu.

FUN FACT: Paula was once at a friend’s wedding where guests included Declan Donnelly and Stephen Mulhern!

Sarah James – Estate Maintenance Support

The first of our two new starters within the Estates Team is Sarah, who currently lives in Crewe! (But not for much longer, hopefully!)

After 17 years of living in Chorley, our latest handy-woman relocated for her son’s education, but is (almost) back and ready to get stuck in here at Derian House.

Sarah has worked in maintenance for most of her career, with a stretch at Cuerden Valley Park where she worked as a park ranger as part of a tightknit team. She’s got a degree in ecology and conservation management, and even has both a chainsaw and tractor license!

She’s always known of Derian House whilst living in Chorley, and has even attended some of our fundraisers. She’s used to working at charity events due to her time at Cuerden, so is looking forward to more of the same here at the hospice.

When she’s not working – or travelling to and from Crewe – Sarah is a keen gardener and has her own vegetable patch, and also enjoys a spot of camping.

FUN FACT: Sarah’s nickname is Jimmy – so if you shout it, she’ll answer!

Ken Whalen – Estates Maintenance Support

Completing our line-up is Ken from Darwen, who has spent 20 years of his working life at Twin Valleys (previously Together Housing). He’s always held up grounds maintenance roles, varying from Crown Wall Coverings to BwD Council, and is looking forward to making a difference here at Derian House.

Ken actually did a sponsored walk for the hospice many moons ago, dressed head-to-toe as Freddie Kruger as he hiked from Ewood Park to Derian… and then back again!

He’s looking forward to using his skillset to make a difference here at Derian House, and learning about all the facilities here at the hospice.

Outside of work, Ken loves doing anything arty, caring for his house rabbit Shadow, and holidaying to Thailand.

FUN FACT: Ken is a a seasoned pumpkin carver, and spends his spare time making incredible 3D creations (mainly in the month of October).

It’s time to welcome three more new starters to our humble abode. You’ve probably already met them, but learn a bit more by scrolling down below!

Andrea Kilcommins – Shop Assistant, Horwich

You may already recognise Andrea from her short-but-sweet time with us as a volunteer in our Horwich shop, before she got the job of shop assistant in October last year.

After a varied career and decades working in the supply chain industry, her leap into the Horwich shop came from a combination of both diversifying her career later in life, and also because of her passion for all things retail.

Andrea absolutely loves communicating with customers and being in a shop environment, and is mostly looking forward to being a part of the special team at Derian House that all shares the same common goal.

Outside of work, Andrea loves holidaying and travelling the world, and has also been part of a rock choir for the past six years… that has even performed with Rick Astley, at Hyde Park, and the BBC Proms!

Bethanie Youll – Registered Nurse

Bethanie is the latest member to join our Care Team, and comes to us after five years at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where she worked since qualifying back in 2018.

After recently moving to Buckshaw Village, the commute was proving a slog for our newest nurse and so she fancied a change… which brought her here to Derian House!

Bethanie has worked with a few of our children and young people already on the wards of Alder Hey, and is looking forward to being more involved in the day-to-day goings on of a child’s stay here at the hospice rather than the constant chaos of a hospital environment.

When she’s not nursing, Bethanie enjoys walking and hiking in the Lake District, and is prone to a good old musical!

John Boe – Head of Facilities & Infrastructure

Our new Head of Facilities & Infrastructure has done it all! From engineering to being in the military police, and school caretaker roles to compliance and legislation, his latest adventure takes him to his local children’s hospice right here at Derian House.

His previous job at Albany Academy saw him work alongside our Head of Finance, Colin, so when a job opportunity arose at the hospice, he followed in his pal’s footsteps and jumped at the chance to join our team.

John is a self-proclaimed people person, and is looking forward to learning more about hospice care and working with the various teams and families here.

In his own time, John frequents his motorhome up and down the country, enjoys hill walking with his border collies Ezra and Eli, and even makes bespoke shepherd’s crooks!

…not forgetting he’s the older brother of Broadway legend Alfie Boe!

We’ve had some new recruits join the team over the last few weeks, so say hello if you haven’t already and help them get settled in!

Jo Fletcher – Clinical Support Worker

Our newest member of the Care Team is Jo, who joined us on our staff away day held at Brockholes at the beginning of September. She’s no stranger to healthcare, and has enjoyed a varied career working with children and young people who have learning difficulties and special needs.

After five years at Mayfield Special School, Jo felt that it was time to spread her wings, and wanted to join the team here at Derian House as she’d heard amazing things from her friends and now fellow staff members Danielle and Chantal.

At the time of writing, Jo was mostly looking forward to no two days ever being the same, meeting a variety of people and families, and also getting to know the place. We’re sure that by now she’s definitely learnt a lot and got stuck right in!

In the three months leading up to her starting date, Jo actually volunteered here at the hospice so she could get to grips with it all and learn about her new role.

When she’s not at work, Jo loves spending time with people, be it her friends, family, or the choir that she belongs to. She loves singing as an outlet and spends a great deal of time with her ‘Sing It Big’ fam.

Rebecca Shivji – Executive Assistant

The new executive to our leader Karen is Rebecca, who has joined the team after three and a half years at Bolton Lads & Girls Club, where she actually took on a totally different role as a bid writer within the charity’s Fundraising Team.

After seeing the work of Derian House through social media, Rebecca jumped at the opportunity to work here and enjoy the next stage of her career whilst still remaining in the charity sector.

Rebecca has many transferrable skills which are sure to help her within her new role here at the hospice, and is excited to work with Karen again after previously working under her leadership at BLGC.

A lot of Derian’s values align with Rebecca’s personal ones, and she’s excited about being part of an enthusiastic and passionate team who deliver outstanding care to over 400 families across the region.

When she’s not working, Rebecca loves spending as much time as possible with her six-year-old son Zachariah, going for walks in nature, and even writing poetry! She’s also a trained counsellor, mindfulness instructor, and reiki practitioner… is there anything she can’t do?!

Verity Harrison – Data Analyst

Derian’s new Data Analyst may have joined us on a temporary basis, but Verity has already made a massive impact in helping set up the Care Database over the last few weeks.

Verity worked for a long time within the NHS as a public health specialist, and within the team at Cancer Research for the past five years.

She’s taken on this role at Derian House mainly because she enjoys working within the charity sector, and has a large understanding of the NHS and the way it works – which is perfect for all of the data she’ll be working with whilst she’s here!

Outside of being a data queen, Verity loves reading and researching, and also fell running. She’s cat mum to Konstantine and Hades the cats… and (fun fact) Diana Vickers is her second cousin!

We’ve had two new members of staff enter our brood over the last few weeks, so here’s a bit about them and why they’ve joined the team here at Derian House!

Adam Halliday – Catering Manager

Adam has spent most of his varied career in the hospitality industry, starting out as a chef for council functions. After 16 years at the helm of pubs across Chester, Wrexham and Stoke, he gave up cheffing to work at franchises of Subway and Starbucks across the region.

Our new Catering Manager sought out the job at Derian House after a desire to make a return to cooking. The opportunity came up, he gave it a whirl – and here he is today.

During his first month with us, Adam has loved trying out new things. He’s excited about using his expertise to enhance our dining experience here at the hospice… and we think you’ll all agree that he’s doing an excellent job!

Outside of work, Adam’s main focuses are three things – football, the allotment, and his three-year-old grandson Noah. He’s a diehard Tranmere Rovers fan – but only because he wasn’t allowed anywhere near Liverpool or Everton as a kid!

FUN FACT: Adam has met lots of ministers in his working life… and even the Queen of England!

Angela Bolton – Performance & Data Lead

Angela joins the team after a whopping 32 years with the NHS, where she spent a large part of her career as a paediatric therapist. Whilst she was there, she earned a Masters degree in Health Informatics, after taking an interest in how data can improve services.

Our new Queen of Data (unofficial title!) actually saw the Derian House job advertisement on her birthday, and it ticked every single box – not only was it the first job she’d seen where she could apply herself to every aspect of the role, but she also sought a rewarding job where she would be valued.

Angela is most looking forward to starting a totally different adventure outside of the NHS, and knowing that she’s doing it for such a good cause. Making a difference to a local charity is extremely important to her, and being a part of a dedicated team.

When she’s not at work, Angela is dog mum to 18-month-old Bordie Collie, Jess, and absolutely loved taking her for walks. Her three boys have all recently moved out, so she’s turning one of the bedrooms in her home into a sewing room – where she’ll probably be spending most of her free time!

FUN FACT: Angela is also mum to a talking African Grey parrot called Rica!

Our new Director of Clinical Services (designate) Catherine Randall will be starting work at Derian House on 1 September.

Catherine will work two days per week throughout September as she completes her induction process and gets to grips with what is expected from her. During this time she’ll also get to know the teams across Derian.

From the 1 October she will fully commence her role, and will work with Lynn on the transition/handover.

We’ll be organising her diary for the month of September and will ensure she gets to meet everyone and see as much as possible.

Any questions please ask Karen or any member of SMT.

We’ve had another crop of staff members join our team here at the hospice, so read on below to find out more about them!

Amy Williamson – Family Support Worker

Our newest recruit to the Family Support Team has been with us for just over two months now, and has already settled into life at Derian House after her previous stint working with young adults in Blackpool and Longridge.

Amy’s career has been extremely varied, working with both children and adults of all ages on residentials, 121’s, day trips, and direct social work. Her range of skills put her in good stead for her role predominately working with siblings here at the hospice, something of which Amy is most looking forward to.

When it came to joining us here at Derian House, Amy was interested almost immediately – she’s always been a fan of the charity sector, and the chance to work with our inspirational families was also a large factor in why she wanted to make the move.

She’s already been touched by how much love and care goes into the work we do here at the hospice, and learning more about palliative care is something Amy is looking forward to as her role within our Family Support Team develops.

When she’s not at work, Amy is proud cat mum to Toulouse and Evie (named after Aristocats and Pokémon characters, respectively!), and enjoys walks in nature.

FUN FACT: Our talented support worker can lick her elbow!

Tanya Marlow – Clinical Practice Educator

The third and final member of our Clinical Education trio – alongside Alison Morris who’s made the move from the Care Team, and Clinical Education Manager, Kirsty Blackburn – is Tanya, who joins us after five years at Royal Preston Hospital’s children’s ward.

A few years deep into her nursing role, Tanya was seconded into a new role as Clinical Educator, something of which she absolutely loved and wanted to pursue as a career.

The role at Derian House was perfect timing – our newest nurse’s secondment was almost at an end when the job opportunity at her local children’s hospice came up. She’s super excited about working as part of a brand new team, helping to develop ideas, and expanding the education department.

Outside of work, mum-of-one Tanya enjoys spending time with her three-year-old son Ollie, blogging about their days out on Instagram, and spending time up in the Lake District paddleboarding.

FUN FACT: Tanya has actually nursed in four continents – Europe, North America, Asia and Africa!

Alison Butler – Registered Nurse

Joining our Care Team in a nursing capacity is Alison, who has left her role of two and a half years at Lancaster Children’s Ward to make a difference here at Derian House.

Although she wasn’t looking for a new job, Alison couldn’t resist when the opportunity came up – she absolutely loved her time on placement at Brian House Children’s Hospice, and wanted to explore hospice work further.

She’s mostly looking forward to spending time forming relationships with our children and families, and the more holistic and nurturing approach to nursing that hospice care has to offer.

Alison is mother to three grown up children, and when she’s not at work loves going on holidays, eating out, and socialising with family and friends. She’s also a dog mum to Cookie and Bruno!

FUN FACT: At the time of writing, Alison was under pressure to come up with a fun fact… we’re sure we’ll get one out of her at some point!

Charlotte Brown – Administrator

Last but not least in our line-up is Charlotte, our brand new administrator who’s done everything from sales work to administration, and even holiday repping out in Menorca!

She joins us from working as joint admin/reception for a chiropractor practise just down the road, a role which is similar to what she’ll be doing here at Derian House.

Charlotte has had personal experience of a hospice and its environment, so knows first hand the love and care that hospices like Derian House provide, and is looking forward to getting to know everyone and meeting our families.

When she’s not at work, Charlotte will probably be on holiday! She absolutely loves travelling the world, and also has family in York (where she’s originally from), so visits frequently.

FUN FACT: Charlotte used to work for a cruise company, so at one stage of her life enjoyed lots of freebies!

Good Afternoon

It is proposed that a 5% pay increase be awarded to all staff paid in June but backdated to 1 April.  This has been agreed in principle but needs to be signed off at the HR Strategic committee meeting on 20 June.

I will let you all know the outcome.

Regards

Kim Owen
Head of People & Culture

It’s time to say hello to four new faces who have joined us here at the hospice over the last couple of months. Some of you may have already met them, but here’s a delve deeper into who they are and what they do!

Colin Taylor – Head of Finance

The brand new leader of our Finance Office is Colin, who has an impressive 20 years of not-for-profit experience under his belt. He joins us at Derian House after a three and a half year stint at Albany Academy in Chorley.

Although he wasn’t actively searching for a new role, Leyland-based Colin had always been aware of the charity – even fundraising for us back in 2001 by taking on the Great North Run – and jumped at the opportunity to join the team when the Head of Finance role came up.

Since February, Colin has settled in nicely and has enjoyed making a positive contribution to the prolific work of Derian House alongside his colleagues in Finance.

Outside of work, he enjoys going to the gym, hiking in the lakes, and playing racketball. He’s also a husband and proud dad to two teenage daughters, and even has a black belt in karate!

FUN FACT: Colin recently attended musical theatre star and opera singer Alfie Boe OBE’s brother’s wedding, who he was a friend of at the Academy.

Kim Owen – Head of People & Culture

Derian’s new Head of People & Culture, Kim, joins us after an impressive 30 years at construction giant Komatsu, where she worked in a HR capacity. Following that, during her 6-month stint at fellow Lancashire charity Bolton Lads and Girls Club, Kim saw the job crop up here at the hospice and just had to go for it!

After three decades working at the same company, Kim threw caution to the wind and broadened her horizons by taking on a role in the charity sector… something which she can’t believe she didn’t do sooner.

Kim had a friend of a friend who used to use Derian’s services, so our newest addition to Vinten Place was already aware of the incredible care and support that we provide, and wanted to be a part of it. She’s already been doing the rounds and letting her face be known to everyone over the last few weeks, and is looking forward to having a focus on people in general and getting the best out of all our teams at Derian House.

When she’s not at work, Kim is wife to David, mum to Abigail and Rebecca, and dog mum to Daisy the cockapoo. She loves going to the theatre, eating out, going on holiday, and walking in the Lake District.

FUN FACT: Kim actually crossed the finish line at the London 2012 Olympic Stadium before Usain Bolt did, after winning a National Lottery competition to run 5 miles around the track with her family and friends watching on!

Ruth Ellicott – Registered Nurse

Fresh off the back of her recent move back to England after a couple of years in County Cavan, our newest nurse Ruth is looking forward to working within a team again after a stint of lone working.

Over in Ireland, Ruth cared for a little girl on a one-to-one basis in the family home, and previously worked at Manchester Children’s Hospital. At Derian House, she’s excited about learning lots of new skills and taking on a more holistic approach to palliative care surrounded by fantastic facilities.

When she’s not nursing, Ruth is busy settling back into life in Lancashire with her husband and three children. She loves getting fit, cooking, and is currently teaching her children how to ride their bikes!

FUN FACT: In her previous role at Manchester Children’s Hospital, the chairman paid for Ruth and some of her colleagues to do a stint of nursing for a charity he owned over in Uganda.

Kev Urdhin – Advanced Clinical Practitioner

The last in our line-up is Kev, Derian’s newest Advanced Clinical Practitioner, who’s joined the ever-growing team after a varied career which saw him work in adults nursing within the NHS for 26 years until he ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon Alder Hey Children’s Hospital back in 1996, where he fell in love with children’s nursing.

Since then, he’s held up many roles in paediatric and oncology nursing ranging from community, walk-in centres, university teaching, and hospitals. 16 years ago, Kev qualified as an ACP, and went back to Alder Hey where he’s spent the last 9 years of his working life.

Back in November, Kev came for a tour of Derian House after thinking he needed to make a positive career change, and immediately got a good vibe from the people, the work we do here, and the passion for Derian in general.

“When you’ve been somewhere for such a long time, you become fearful of change”, Kev said. He knew he didn’t want to go back to the NHS, and could see himself starting in a new role here at the hospice where he could become a part of new and exciting changes, and take on a brand new challenge.

All he’s ever wanted to do is make every family’s journey ‘good’, and make their experience of palliative care better.

Outside of work, Kev is a season ticket holder at Liverpool FC, and plays football twice a week. He’s got two daughters – Jasmine and India – and loves spending time with them and his grandchildren.

FUN FACT: Kev got absolutely annihilated by The Beast on ITV’s The Chase, and years later appeared on BBC’s Pointless with a colleague who’d previously berated him for his previous TV failure! He’s hoping to complete his trilogy of daytime TV quiz shows to celebrate his 50th birthday later this year… watch this space!

It’s been almost three weeks since our new CEO, Karen Edwards, took to the helm at Derian House. Before she gets round to meeting you all, here’s a bit about her and what she’ll be getting up to here at Derian House.

After spending 27 years of her working career at another North West charity, Bolton Lads & Girls Club, Karen was overjoyed to be approached about the top job here at the hospice, and threw her hat into the ring straight away due to it being too good of an opportunity to miss.

One of the things Karen is most looking forward to about starting is getting to know all of the teams, both here at the hospice and out in our retail network, and also the 400 families we care for. In her previous role, she got to see a lot of the work that went on, and wants to have that same visibility to our families who use Derian House services.

Over the next three months, Karen wants to well and truly soak up everything ‘Derian’ – what our vision is, what our plans are, and enabling all of us to go on that journey together. There’ll be plenty of collaborative work going forward as she learns more about the world of palliative care… and she’s excited about all of it.

When she’s not heading up hospices, Karen enjoys singing, so she’ll be joining the Derian Voices as their newest member. She’s got a husband, Peter, two sons aged 12 and 13, and four dogs. They’re an active family, and enjoy lots of days out walking when the kids aren’t busy with their social lives!

FUN FACT: Karen hasn’t just climbed Kilimanjaro once… she’s tackled it twice!

…and if you thought you may recognise her familiar face, for fans of the iconic British TV quiz show Blockbusters – you’ll be surprised to find out that as a 17-year-old, Karen represented Wigan College and won all five ‘gold runs’, with her prize consisting of an all-expenses-paid trip to New York, a month down the East Coast of America, and a flight back to Miami on Concorde!

At the beginning of this year, we said hello to Denise, Derian House’s brand new Complementary Therapist.

As part of the brand new role, Denise will be providing various treatments and therapies such as massages, reflexology and reiki sessions to help tired and stressed out families.

Denise joins us from Pendleside Hospice, where she worked in a similar role covering a staff member’s maternity leave, and prior to that at The Christie where she adapted her therapies for cancer patients.

Since starting, Denise has really enjoyed setting up the Wellbeing Service from scratch, and has dozens of ideas that she’s excited to work on over the coming months. Last week, she welcomed her first batch of clients, and the feedback so far has been nothing short of amazing.

When she’s not at work, Denise likes spending time in nature – specifically bird-watching and doing yoga. She’s also a member of many community groups where she lives in Aspull, and even volunteers for the hedgehog ambulance!

T’is the season to welcome three more new starters to our ever-growing team here at Derian House, and our final recruits of 2022.

Andrea Cataldo – Chef

Andrea is no stranger to us here at Derian House, as he’s actually been with us since the middle of June working as part of the agency.

Working at Derian for the past six months led Andrea to applying for the full time Chef position, as he immediately fell in love with the place and loves the work we do. He’s also a father of three, and his eldest son was born with a genetic condition, so the reality of what we do here was quite close to home and he’s really looking forward to becoming a fully-fledged member of the team.

Before he became a chef, Andrea worked for NHS Track and Trace, and long before that spent an incredible 12 years as a street artist – yep, our multi-talented Italian dabbled in balloon art, juggling… and even fire breathing!

When he’s not rustling up a cheese and onion pie, Andrea is busy studying Business Studies at Manchester Met University on the weekends… such a busy bee!

Olivia Jones – Registered Nurse

Our newest nurse, Olivia, joins us after almost a year on Ormskirk’s neonatal ward. Since being a student here at Derian way back in 2019, she’s has always wanted to come back here… and now her dreams have come true!

Olivia is really excited about settling back into the team, and learning more about what Derian House is all about from a nurse’s perspective as opposed to a student’s.

When she’s not nursing, Olivia is proud mum to two boys – Teddy (aged 6), and Kit (aged 1) – and is a self-proclaimed social butterfly, who won’t say no to a bottomless brunch!

Heather Philip – Business Analyst

Heather joins us after a phenomenal 18-year stint in fashion retail, where she spent the past few years working in merchandising at Boohoo. She’s more than ready for a change of scene, and her exciting new role at Derian House is the perfect opportunity!

The role of Business Analyst is a new one here at the hospice, and Heather will spend a great deal of her days working closely with Vanessa to provide data and information so that we meet our legal requirements, supporting all teams in the process and getting the most out of their data.

Heather previously moved from her hometown of Glasgow ‘down south’ for work, and has been in Eccleston ever since. Her new job in the healthcare/charity sector means that she can use her transferrable skills in a much more wholesome environment, and she cannot wait to get started.

When she’s not tackling data, Heather is mum to three-year-old Maisie and cat Maxi, and spends the majority of her time doing child-related activities! She used to play the drums in a rock band, and has even been crocodile catching in the Australian outback!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had four new faces join our team here at Derian House. Get to know them by reading our short interviews with them below!

Jack Wright – Catering Manager

Jack has joined us here as our brand new Catering Manager after a five year stretch at Millenium Care North West Care Homes, where he started out as a chef.

As his role developed, Jack used his experience accordingly, providing activities and experiences for the residents of the homes and helping to make food accessible for all, something which he is keen to do here at Derian House.

Chorley born-and-bred, Jack has already revamped our menu (of which you can find on the Intranet) and received a plethora of positive feedback, and is looking forward to getting stuck in to the throws of Derian life!

When he’s not in the kitchen, Jack is a keen runner and rock climber, and is even studying for a Masters in Business Administration with the Open University.

Jane Enright – Specialist Nurse (Long Term Ventilation)

Jane is no stranger to us here at the hospice – it’s been a mere three years and eight months since she left to pastures new, but couldn’t resist coming back in a new role as a specialist nurse with a focus on long term ventilation.

Since leaving us in 2019, Jane has been a community nurse for the NHS Children Continuing Care team, and on the Medical Equipment team at Pennine Healthcare.

Prior to this, Jane’s roles have all been LTV-based, so she’s looking forward to going back to her roots and starting a new challenge in a new role back at Derian House.

Outside of work, our new nurse enjoys fell walking and running, and even volunteers for St. John’s Ambulance doing First Aid at various events across the region. Those who know her will know that she’s Disney obsessed, so if she’s not at work she’s probably in Florida (or on the couch binge-watching Disney+)!

Adam Grosvenor – Registered Nurse

The first of our two new nurses is Adam, who in 2017 qualified and went straight into a role at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where he spent the first five years of his nursing career.

Adam decided to make the move to Derian House as he’d heard lots about our friendly team and wanted a new challenge in a totally different environment outside of the hospital.

He’s mostly looking forward to getting to know our children, young people and their families, and working with them in a much more relaxed and personable setting.

When he’s not busy nursing, Adam is a huge Liverpool fan, and a self-proclaimed domestic goddess! He’s even ran a marathon before to raise vital funds for Bliss, a charity which supported Adam’s family when his younger brother and sister were born prematurely – and it would be this that eventually inspired Adam to go into nursing.

Caitlin Thynne – Registered Nurse

The final face in our line-up is Caitlin, a Geordie-born nurse who’s also made the move from Alder Hey after a year to be closer to home in Leyland.

More than ready for a fresh new start, Caitlin is also excited about getting to know and work closely with our families, and being a part of the Derian House team.

In a previous life, Caitlin was actually a grid girl for motorbike racing, and outside of work loves trips back up to Newcastle to visit her family and pet bearded dragon, Leon.

Hi All,

Following my recent update, I am now delighted to announce that Karen Edwards will be joining us as the new Chief Executive of Derian House Children’s Hospice.

Karen, who previously held the role of Chief Executive of Bolton Lads & Girls Club, will be joining the team in February and said “I’m delighted to be joining the team at Derian House and be a part of the amazing services the charity provides. I’m looking forward to leading the team through the next chapter.”

As you already know, our current Chief Executive, David Robinson will be leaving Derian House at the end of the year but he said “I wish Karen every success in taking over the reins and leading Derian House forward from the amazing place we have taken it to.”

Lynn Grayson, Director of Clinical Services will be deputising between David’s departure and Karen’s start date and I’m sure we will all support Lynn to maintain our fantastic services to our children and young people and their families.

Thank you to those staff who helped with the recruitment process, your input was valuable to us when making a decision. Thank you also for your patience in awaiting the outcome of our interviews, I know you were all keen to find out who our new Chief Exec would be.

More details will follow and a public announcement will be made next week.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Karen to the team in 2023 and wishing David all the very best for a long and happy retirement.

Kind regards,

Karen Swindley
Chair of Trustees

Now that we’ve added some new faces to our ever-expanding team at Derian House, let’s hear about who they are and what they’ll be getting up to here at Lancashire and South Cumbria’s children’s hospice!

Amy Collier – Assistant Shop Manager, Accrington

Although she’s actually been with us since the month of May, we didn’t want to stick Amy on the Intranet all by herself – so here’s a brief introduction to our Accrington shop’s assistant manager.

Bristol born-and-bred, Amy has worked in retail all her life, and joined us after an incredible 18-year stretch at Next where she specialised in window dressing. After relocating ‘up North’, Amy wanted to explore the charity retail sector and even began applying for a voluntary role in our Horwich store before seeing that we were opening up a shop in Accrington.

Amy has already put her skills to great use, and has taken ownership of our retail Instagram account, as well as decorating shop windows and helping to prepare for our Charity Shop Lock-In events.

When she’s not at work, Amy absolutely loves vintage shopping, exploring flea markets and charity shops, and participating in hotpod yoga! She’s also an identical twin!

Lauren Prochyra – Youth Worker

Lauren is the latest addition to our Wellbeing & Play Team, and has joined us from Barnardo’s children’s charity. Lauren has previously enjoyed working in the charity sector, and wanted to join the team at Derian House as she’d heard brilliant things!

Our new Youth Worker already has a great deal of experience working with children and young people in need of support, and permanently working from home throughout the pandemic and beyond limited Lauren and made her realise she wanted to be more hands-on in her work.

Throughout her first few weeks here at the hospice, Lauren has enjoyed getting to know our youngsters and already feels like a valued part of the team. Her induction process has seen her work with and get to know different teams, as well as plenty of trips out with our Lodgers!

Outside of work, Lauren loves walking her Doberman, Lola, and even used to have a pet donkey called Tilly!

Linda Pennington – Clinical Support Worker

The first of our two new Clinical Support Workers is lovely Linda, who joins Derian House after a varied career as a nursery nurse and community-based health care support worker.

Despite being passionate about her previous job role, COVID restrictions changed things, and Linda wanted to experience the memory-making side of health care.

16 years ago, Linda’s niece Abbie passed away at Francis House, and ever since then she’d thought about working in palliative care – never thinking that dream would become a reality. Now that her kids are older (26, 23, and 22, to be precise), Linda knew that she wanted to go in this direction and provide support to families who access our services.

When she’s not on shift, family-orientated Linda goes to watch her son play guitar in his band, and her daughters do competitive running. She also enjoys walking, socialising, and spending time with her Mum.

How’s this for a fun fact – Linda has hand-delivered over 1,000 baby lambs during her previous tenure as a farmer’s wife!

Edwina Green – Family Support Worker

Edwina started at the hospice earlier this month in the role of Family Support Worker. After five years working for child bereavement charities nationwide, she saw the job role at Derian as an exciting new opportunity to expand on what she’s done previously.

The new addition to the Family Support Team is both excited and nervous at the prospect of working with families pre-bereavement, however her varied experience in a number of job roles across the country will definitely play up to her advantage.

More than ready to get ‘stuck in’, Edwina is mostly looking forward to being heavily involved in our sibling service, and meeting families from a range of backgrounds. Relationship building was a large factor in why she wanted the job at Derian House, and she’s enthusiastic about helping to provide a totally bespoke and unique service to our families.

When she’s not helping families, Edwina is a huge fan of gardening (even if she does make it up as she goes along!), and is also prone to a spot of lindy hop dancing!

Edwina recently got engaged, and when she’s married next year… will officially be a Bond girl!

Chantal Porter – Clinical Support Worker

Also a newbie in our squad of Clinical Support Workers is Chantal. For the past three years, she’s worked on the pediatric ward at Royal Preston Hospital as a health care assistant.

Growing up in Astley Village alongside Ian Haydock’s daughter Lesley (Ian was the brother of Derek, their names of which were combined to create ‘Derian’), Chantal has always been aware of the hospice, and always wondered what it would be like to work here.

After getting the clinical skills required to work at the hospital, Chantal then made a career leap and started with us here as she desired a working environment that was family-orientated with a focus on children and young people.

Chantal is also no stranger to the fundraising side of things – just last year, she dived 15,000ft out of a plane as part of the inaugural Dive for Derian campaign, raising £1,000 for us in the process.

When she’s not in her scrubs, Chantal is in her hiking gear and up in the Lakes boxing off the Wainwrights!

Vicky Cadley – Derian at Home Team Leader

Last in our line-up is Vicky, Derian at Home’s brand new Team Leader, who’s not long returned from four years working in the United Arab Emirates as a Nurse Manager.

A local lass, Vicky had always known about the work that Derian does due to her previous role at Manchester Children’s Hospital, and her managerial experience out in Dubai has set her up nicely for her new role here at the hospice as part of our community team.

She’s mostly looking forward to getting out in the community, building relationships with our families and helping to fulfil their needs and wishes, and working as part of a wider team to continue improving the bespoke service that we provide.

Vicky is extremely close to her family and friends, and when she’s not working, is prone to a spot of yoga, meditation, and reading. She’s also recently started a hypnotherapy course to further her interest in counselling.

It’s time for us to learn four new names as we welcome Rebecca, Natalie, Stephen and Ann-Marie to the team at Derian House. Get the lowdown on our new starters below!

Rebecca Buffin – Accrington Shop Manager

Our brand new Accrington Shop Manager Rebecca has had a very varied career so far – she’s not only travelled the world multiple times and worked with a large number of nationalities and communities, but she’s also worked in a number of big retailers including H&M and Pavers Shoes, where she’s spent the last eight years.

Rebecca absolutely loves working with people, which is why her new venture in Derian House retail will suit her perfectly. She’s looking forward to working within the community and spreading the word about her local children’s hospice.

As a well known lady from Church, Rebecca is really excited about all of the support she’s received so far, and has already got bags upon bags of donations from family members and friends ready for when our brand new Accrington store opens its doors towards the end of May. She’s clued up on all of the shops around the area where our new Derian shop will be, and has been telling everyone in sight that we’re opening up there!

Outside of work, Rebecca loves giving back, and litter picks regularly in her hometown with a group of volunteers. Thanks to having her hands in so many pockets, she’s a self-proclaimed social butterfly, and enjoys tapping into different networks.

One of her favourite moments of all time was sailing out to sea at 4am to watch the sunrise over Sydney Opera House, and has even seen Whitney Houston perform on a cruise ship!

Natalie Pond – Registered Nurse

Natalie is our brand new nurse on the Care Team at Derian House, and has just got back from a holiday in Tenerife after her induction last month! Prior to working here, she was a staff nurse at Royal Preston Hospital for three and a half years, and left as she wanted to spend more time working alongside children and their families.

Natalie is looking forward to spending time getting to know our children and young people and working in a more holistic setting, making memories with our service users and allowing them to make the most of their time here.

When she’s not nursing, Natalie is a proud dog-mum to Honey the 1-year-old Cavapoo, and enjoys days out with her and her boyfriend Joe.

Stephen Carr – IT Technician

Most of you will know Stephen by now as he’s actually been at Derian House in a contractor role since the new year, however now that he’s official we thought we’d interview him anyway!

Our new IT mogul has so far enjoyed a career in a multitude of environments, ranging from schools to the NHS. After working at Derian for a couple of months, Stephen was drawn to the services we provide here and was impressed by our ethos, which led to him applying for the permanent role of IT Technician.

After being made to feel extremely welcome during his initial tenure, Stephen was chuffed to get the role as he also wanted to complete the projects that he had already started as a contractor. He likes a challenge and constantly wants to improve for the future as technology is always changing, so is looking forward to getting stuck in.

Outside of work, Stephen is a massive film buff and used to write a review column in his local paper, even occasionally dipping into the world of podcasts to give his view on all things cinema. He’s also a Manchester United fan and holds a season ticket at Old Trafford.

Fun fact – when he was an undergrad student, Stephen made an independent film which was distributed by Salford University, and was also the chief of their film society.

Ann-Marie Wilburn – Community Fundraiser

The last but not least in our line-up is Community Fundraiser Ann-Marie. Originally from Newcastle, she moved to Wigan 14 years ago for a man and has never looked back!

After working at Boots when she initially moved down to Lancashire, Ann-Marie then went to Morrisons where she later spent three years in the role of Community Champion. Working within the local community will come naturally to our newest recruit as she’s supported many charities through a range of various projects, bringing in a phenomenal total of £75,000 when working with Morrisons alongside Young Lives vs Cancer.

Ann-Marie lived and breathed the charity partnership for three whole years, and began researching Derian House when the supermarket giants recently announced their new charity partner Together for Short Lives. Rather than get invested with another charity for it to be taken off her years down the line, Ann-Marie wanted to put all her focuses and efforts into her local children’s hospice, so when the job came up it was a perfect opportunity for her.

When she’s not at work, she loves being mum to Joel (aged 10) and Mia (aged 6), who also love fundraising and have been interested in mum’s job ever since she accepted it back in March. She’s never not worked weekends, so it’s a refreshing change for her and her family!

Interestingly, Ann-Marie was a Team Star at Park Resorts where she sang and dance the holidays away for three seasons before she left to have children… we wonder how long it’ll be before she’s twerking away in the Danni costume?!

We’ve had loads more new faces join various teams at Derian House over the past couple of weeks. Get to know them by reading on below!

Karen Switzer – Shop Manager, Preston

Our new Preston Shop Manager has worked in retail all of her life. She’s done everything from supermarket chains to clothing, and aswell as previously working as a hairdresser, is also a trained barista!

Karen veered into clothing retail when she left England to live in Guernsey over 12 years ago, where she then proceeded to work at international clothing brand Peacocks. Her family moved back to Preston shortly before the pandemic hit as her partner’s son turned 16 and there were no job opportunities for him out there.

Guernsey’s loss is our gain however, as Karen has spent her entire career working for the big fellas and helping to line their pockets, so she’s looking forward to ‘giving back’ and making a positive change by working in charity retail and helping towards our common goal – raise as much money as possible for our families here at Derian House.

Outside of work, Karen enjoys reading, and she LOVES a good serial killer documentary. Interestingly, our new shop manager has also starred in a film – she played an extra in 1978’s International Velvet, filmed at Camelot!

Sara Bilal – Assistant Shop Manager, Preston

Sara is no stranger to charity retail – our new Assistant Shop Manager in the Preston store has spent three years working and volunteering at Age UK and Barnardos, respectively.

Sara is looking forward to getting started in the shop, and she’s an advocate for charity shops in general, wanting to rid of the taboo surrounding them and allowing people to understand how cheap sustainable it is to buy from them as well as sharing the work we do at Derian House with members of the public. She also loves a root through a donation bag so you’ll find her sorting through the treasure trove of donations we receive daily!

The Leyland lass is a self-proclaimed people’s person, and in her spare time loves looking after her grandchildren and visiting charity shops. She also enjoys reading and a good ITV drama!

Connor Glass – Shop Assistant, Horwich

Due to the success of our previous Kickstarters, we went out and employed some more! Kickstart jobs are funded by the Government for six months to offer exciting opportunities for young people to gain valuable work experience, and Connor is our latest recruit who will be working in the Horwich shop.

After studying bricklaying at college, Connor wanted to get a job, and the Kickstart Scheme led him to Derian House! He’s really looking forward to meeting new people and making friends, and communicating more with others. He’s also excited about using his first wage to treat his family.

Outside of work, Connor is really into gaming, and can even take consoles apart to fix them!

John Pilling – Family Counsellor

John has joined us here at Derian House after a 17-year stretch in education, the last seven years of which he spent at Parklands High School as an educational psychotherapist. Our new family counsellor was aware of a student of Parklands called Sally, who sadly passed away at the hospice, and since then had been checking his emails incase any jobs came up.

For John, there’s no greater honour than working in the capacity he does with families, and he’s really motivated and excited to make a difference and allow families to open up and accept their feelings in his counselling sessions.

The dad of two is looking forward to getting to know our families, our grandparents, our siblings, and of course our children and young people. Working collaboratively with our Family Support Team and hospice staff is something that John can’t wait to do, as he’s used to working on his own in education.

Outside of work, John is dad to Alfie (7) and Daisy (5), and loves keeping fit by running (he’s partial to a charity marathon), cycling, and even football! All of John’s family are super excited for him to be starting at Derian House, and can’t wait to get involved in our fundraising events!

Kirsty Blackburn – Clinical Educator

Last but not least in our lineup is Derian’s new Clinical Educator, Kirsty. The lead cancer nurse at Alder Hey has joined us after an expansive career which has seen her work in children’s oncology and palliative care at Manchester Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital and even Ethiopia.

Kirsty moved back up north after giving birth to her three-year-old, Isaac, to be around family, and hasn’t even had the chance to explore Chorley yet due to the pandemic! Because of her varied backgrounds in special palliative care and education, Kirsty saw the job role at Derian House as an amazing opportunity to marry the two together a whole five minutes away from her house!

Kirsty is really excited to join the hospice at a time when our services are expanding and we’re collaborating more with other facilities in Lancashire and South Cumbria, so she’s looking forward to educating both internally and externally. She’s passionate about developing people, so what better place to do so than her local children’s hospice where we’re certain she’ll make a difference.

When she’s not clinically educating, Kirsty is busy being mum and she’s also currently hooked on feet-up yoga! For those still reading, this niche hobby of hers gives you amazing core strength by standing on your head!

Earlier last week, we welcomed five brand new members to the team here at Derian House. You may have already met them, but get to know them more by scrolling down, and don’t forget to introduce yourselves if you haven’t already.

Ruth Islip – Hospice Manager

Ruth has joined us as Hospice Manager from her previous job at Manchester Children’s Hospital. She spent the majority of her 16 years there as a Ward Nurse, with her transitioning to Clinical Coordinator in her final twelve months.

In years previous, Ruth has actually done bank shifts here at the hospice, and even said to her husband four weeks before the position went live on our website that her dream job would be Hospice Manager at Derian House – now look at her!

As well as being a nurse, Ruth has a love of leadership, and having lived through many families’ experiences of end of life care, has a passion for delivering the best care possible with the team. She’s looking forward to giving our families the best experience possible, and creating a sense of excitement for those who may have previously been apprehensive about using our services. Coming out of the pandemic, Ruth is passionate about working together with all of the teams within Derian House to implement positive changes and raise awareness.

When she’s not at work, Ruth is Mum to Libby (12), Holly (9) and Toby (5), and is actively involved in church where she sings as part of a huge band! She loves being active (even though her husband would disagree!), and enjoys going away on holiday as much as possible.

Samantha Fisher – Derian at Home Nurse

Our newest Derian at Home Nurse, Samantha, has also joined us from Manchester Children’s, where she worked for three years after qualifying. Sam cared for acutely ill children in the Brain Tumour Centre, and particularly enjoyed looking after children with complex needs to make their experiences as comfortable as possible.

Sam made the move to Derian House as she wanted to spend more time with children and their families rather than continue with the ‘in and out of the door’ nature of a hospital setting. She’s really looking forward to getting out into the community and providing nursing care to the children and young people on our Derian at Home books.

In her spare time, Sam enjoys long walks with Stanley the dog, going out for tea and meeting up with friends. She’s also recently trained in acupuncture which is a service she delivers to friends and family at home. Get in her good books and she’ll give you a demo!

Lisa Akgunduz – Registered Nurse

Lisa is no stranger to Derian House – she actually worked here for five years and left in 2006! Throughout her career since, nothing has compared to the work she did here at the hospice, and lots of her nursing memories come from here… so she’s back for Round #2!

Since finishing at Derian, she’s done everything from bank work, agency work, oncology, palliative care, and chemotherapy. After working through the pandemic on COVID-19 wards, Lisa was ready to get back to giving full care with children and young people who have complex needs, so her local children’s hospice seemed like the perfect option.

Outside of work, Lisa is Mum to two kids and Arlo the beagle. She’s a self-proclaimed daredevil and has even abseiled down Old Trafford, as well as landing a plane! (Not physically, but still…! This is definitely a story to speak to her about in person!)

Emma Smith – Registered Nurse

Emma is the second of our two new nurses, and has joined us at Derian after previously working in an agency role. She’s spent the majority of her nursing career in adult nursing, but also has pediatric experience.

Living in Chorley and working in Blackpool, Liverpool and Manchester was proving too much travel-wise, and Lisa wanted to be more hands-on with her work, which is a huge part of the reason she made the transition to Derian House. She is a huge fan of the facilities here at the hospice, and cannot wait to get in the pool!

When she’s not Emma the nurse, she’s Emma the mum to three children aged 10, 12 and 15, and Socks the dog! She ‘lives for the day’ and absolutely loves doing a range of outdoor activities with her brood that include ziplining, canoeing and kayaking.

Becca Feeley – PR & Communications Officer

Becca is the final piece in the Comms & Marketing jigsaw, joining us from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust as our PR & Communications Officer. This exciting role will see her write press releases and work with Derian families on our marketing campaigns.

Becca has worked in Comms for nearly four years, and after seeing the incredible work that Derian House does with families and their children, she knew that she wanted to be a part of it. She’s looking forward to getting to know as many people as possible and doing what she loves best – writing!

In her spare time, Becca enjoys being by the sea, getting tangled up in yoga, and reading lots of books. Fun fact – Becca can do a booming death metal voice, which is niche but comes in handy when she’s asked to perform her party trick!

We welcomed five new starters at Derian House on Monday, but before we get to know them later in the week, we’ve been waiting on our two new Derian at Home ladies to start on team before their glamourous photoshoot, hence the lateness of this article… a lot of you have probably already got to know our fab four, but here’s a bit more about them for those further afield.

Olivia Monks – Clinical Administrator

Our new Clinical Administrator, Olivia, has spent a lot of her working life so far in the travel industry. After finishing college, she worked at Ribby Hall Holidays for two years, before getting work on Australian and New Zealand cruise ships where she had a front of house role.

Unfortunately, her time at sea was cut short due to a word beginning with C and rhyming with Novid (fun fact – Olivia had to isolate on her own for FIVE WEEKS at sea at the beginning of Lockdown #1), and returned to the UK where she had numerous ‘bit’ jobs before joining us here at Derian.

After discovering that she had some health problems of her own, Olivia really wanted a job somewhere where she could help others and making a difference. Alongside her new job, she’s also taken on an evening Counselling course to help with her communications with families.

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys working out, eating healthily, shopping, travelling and experiencing new cultures. She also exclaimed ‘I love a good night out!’. We’re sure she’ll fit right in here!

Nichola Roughley – Clinical Support Worker

Nichola has joined us from Mayfield School in Chorley, where she worked for a whopping 36 years. After her grandson Billy passed away at Derian last March, it inspired Nichola to make a positive change and work with children and young people who have life-limiting conditions.

Whilst in her previous role, Nichola spent the evenings volunteering at Linkability, a charity which helps adults who have learning difficulties, so her varied experience will certainly help in her new job at Derian House.

In her spare time, Nichola enjoys walking her two dogs Barney and George and being Grandma to her three grandchildren.

Fun fact – Nic was once in an adult cheerleading team that won the British Championships!

Danni Fielding – Derian at Home Clinical Support Worker

The first of our two new community support workers is Danni, who has joined us after working at Burnley NICU for the past five years. Danni has a nursery nurse background, and has always had an interest in working with children and young people who are palliative as she wants to help make happy memories for them in their short lives.

Danni is most looking forward to meeting the team, getting out and about, and working with our families and their children.

When she’s not at work, Danni enjoys family days out with her husband, their three children and two dogs.

Emily Heaton – Derian at Home Clinical Support Worker

Emily worked at Pendle View Primary School in her hometown of Colne for four years before making the move to Derian. It’s been 11 years since she left college, and Emily wanted a role where she could really make a difference and be involved in making special memories for children who have life-limiting conditions.

Her own son actually has medical needs, which pushed our new Derian at Home team member to wanting the job at Derian House even more. She’s really looking forward to meeting the families we care for and helping them on their individual journeys.

Outside of work, Emily absolutely loves random days out with her family. She’s a big adrenaline-junkie, so their days are always packed with a thrill!

Fun fact – Emily owns a whopping 60 pairs of trainers, to which she says the secret is buying them in kids sizes… they’re much cheaper!

We welcomed three new starters to the team earlier this week, joining the government’s Kickstart Scheme which provides funding to create new jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.

Shane and Connor (left and middle) will be based at our Blackburn shop as eCommerce Assistants, concentrating on uploading items to our eBay and eCommerce platforms, and picking and packing orders including Christmas orders.

Jorden (right) will be working as a Shop Assistant in our Preston store, a role he has already undertaken as a volunteer for the past month.

We’re sure you’ll make them all feel very welcome and we wish them luck in their new roles at Derian House.

Earlier this week, we welcomed four newbies to the team here at Derian House. Here’s a bit about them and how they’ll fit into their roles within the organisation – make sure to say hello if you see them around!

Donna Everett – Clinical Support Worker

Donna is the first of two new Clinical Support Workers working on our Care Team. She recently finished in her role at Newfield School after three years working with children who have autism and behavioural needs, and saw the job vacancy at Derian as the ‘right place, right time’.

The mum of two boys, Joshua (16) and Harry (12), is very much looking forward to working with our children and young people and delivering specialised care, and feels honoured to be working here at Derian.

During the pandemic, Donna realised what really matters, and absolutely loves spending the spare time she has with her family, going out for tea and watching a film at home! In 2014, her husband Chris got a job in Texas, and the four of them lived in the lone-star-state for 12 months.

Julie Liptrott – Clinical Support Worker

After 16 years in retail management, Julie spent the next 7 years as a support care manager at Brothers of Charity, working with adults ranging from learning difficulties, health complications and end-of-life-care.

During 2020, Julie realised that she wasn’t getting out of her job what she was putting into it, and wanted to be a lot more hands-on in her care work. Being local to Derian House, she has always known of the work we do and is looking forward to gaining new skills and working alongside our children, young people and their families.

Outside of work, Julie loves spending time with her family, especially her new grandson Sion who her son has recently adopted. She’s a huge country/western fan and enjoys trips to London to watch shows on the West End.

Roan Welsh – Leyland Shop Assistant

Roan is the first of our two Kickstarters, who have joined us to work in our Leyland and Blackburn shops respectively. The Kickstart Scheme is funded by the Government for six months to offer exciting opportunities for young people to gain valuable work experience.

Being a shop assistant at our Leyland store will be Roan’s first job since finishing their studies at Runshaw College, and they’re looking forward to working in one of our smaller stores as they struggle in social situations. They’re really looking forward to getting stuck in and working towards all of our common goals – making a difference to the lives of our children and young people.

When they’re not at work, Roan is really into photography, music, drawing and building things. They also love story-writing… and getting lost!

Ilyas Mulla – Blackburn Shop Assistant

Ilyas was a trainee business development manager before getting the job within the Derian House retail team. Although he enjoyed his previous role, the Blackburner left for personal development and to gain experience to further his career.

He really enjoyed his interview with Steph, our Blackburn shop manager, and felt very valued before he’d even got the job. Ilyas is mostly looking forward to making a difference, interacting with customers and putting his stamp on our newest store.

Ilyas is a self-proclaimed chatterbox and is a very honest and loyal friend. He also loves anything to do with fantasy, magic and dragons!

Now that our Blackburn team have all started and our newest store is doing brilliantly, it’s time to introduce you to the shop staff who’ll be greeting the good people of Blackburn and contributing towards the exciting developments in our growing retail network.

Steph Todd – Shop Manager

Our Blackburn Shop Manager Steph is mum to a whirlwind future footballer and ex punk band member! (She says that they were terrible but fairly famous in Eastern Europe!)

Steph has worked in retail management for over a decade in a whole host of different businesses, and she’s joined us as she’d recently been searching for a job to fulfil her need to help people. Luckily for her, she found Derian House!

Steph is mostly looking forward to starting a new challenge in charity retail, and plans on making as big of a splash in the fundraising pot as she can muster! She likes to think of herself as a fun boss and enjoys looking silly, so feel free to volunteer her for embarrassing things (we reckon a shift in the Danni mascot should suffice!).

Tony Smalley – Assistant Manager

Tony is the Assistant Manager in our Blackburn store, and after having worked at Morrison’s supermarket for 25 years, he wanted to push himself to go into a more personally rewarding career.

What strikes him the most about Derian is everyone’s passion and team ethos to do the best job possible, and he’s excited to bring that same commitment and retail experience to our Blackburn store.

Outside of work, Tony enjoys watching films and going on days out when possible. He also likes going to the theatre, and he’s seen some great shows in Manchester and the West End.

Karen Radford – Shop Assistant

The first of our two shop assistants, Karen has worked in retail for the majority of her life, racking up an impressive 23 years at Debenham’s before the Blackburn store she worked at was one of 130 to close its’ doors for the final time last summer.

She’s really excited about working as part of a smaller, close-nit team and raising as much money for Derian House as possible. ‘I’m looking forward to life after Debenham’s’, she went on to say.

Cath Prince – Shop Assistant

Cath has also worked in retail for a large part of her life, with 20 years working for a helpline that dealt with a range of issues including domestic violence, refuge accommodation, homelessness, substance abuse and mental health.

She’s always been aware of Derian House as her nephew used to use our services, and as soon as she saw the role advertised she felt a connection and really wanted it.

Cath is really looking forward to working in a front-facing role once again and meeting new people. She’s experienced in both team and lone working, so is passionate about getting stuck in and making a difference.

When she’s not at work, Cath loves photography and eventually wants to do a course in it, aswell as walking her dogs and spending time with family.

We’ve recently welcomed two new staff members in the form of Jessica Fagan (Clinical Support Worker) and Kerry Salmon (Community Fundraiser). Get to know them below!

Jessica Fagan (Clinical Support Worker)

Jessica joined us two weeks ago as a Clinical Support Worker, but this wasn’t her first time at Derian. She’s worked in the community with many of our children for over eight years and has made numerous visits to the hospice with our youngsters who receive respite, including Bradley.

When the job cropped up here, Jess jumped at the chance to apply as she’d heard great things about working at Derian and wanted to work as part of a wider team after years of being a lone worker. It’s going to be a totally different environment for her and she can’t wait to get involved.

Outside of work, Jessica is a self-proclaimed socialite and loves being around people and generally having a good time! She goes to the gym when she can, so if you see her in active-wear when she’s finished a shift, she’s forcing herself to go!

Kerry Salmon (Community Fundraiser)

Kerry started in the Income, Comms and Marketing Team on Monday after racking up a huge 13 years at Leyland Morrison’s. From the age of 16, Kerry has only ever had that one job, so handing in her notice and starting this new chapter has been really surreal for her.

After spending her years mainly as an in-store florist and Community Champion, Kerry thought it was time to push herself and get a fulfilling role of which she could be proud of and make a difference. ‘If I’m happier in myself at work and doing something I enjoy, hopefully I’ll take that home’, she said.

Kerry has always known of Derian as she’s a born-and-bred Chorley lass, and says her personality will be perfect for building relationships with our community and spreading the word about our hospice. She can’t wait to get stuck in and work her socks off to raise the money we need to keep our does open each year.

Outside of work (and in), Kerry loves a cup of tea… she says it fixes everything! She went on to list dressing gowns, ‘pink stuff’ and stationary as things she likes and what makes her a girly girl, but be warned… she can sink a pint quicker than the average male!

We’ve had an influx of new team members in recent weeks, and we are delighted to introduce three more! Here are Fazila, Adam and Katie.

Fazila Patel (Family Counsellor)

Fazila is our new Family Counsellor here at the hospice, and she’ll be working Mondays, Tuesdays and the odd weekend day too. She’s always loved working with children and young people, and for the last 16 years it’s not just been her career, but her passion.

Despite working in a range of environments including education, sexual health, and within the community, she’s never worked in a hospice, which is something Fazila has always wanted to do but never felt ready for. The post came up at Derian House and she thought it would be an incredible opportunity to support families, as it’s a more holistic approach in comparison to her other job which is working as part of an online community called Kooth, where children and young people can access anonymous care and support.

The fast-paced and totally varied aspect of Fazila’s work for Kooth will compliment her new role at Derian House, where she’s looking forward to focusing on bespoke and tailor-made client-centred counselling in a compassionate and caring environment.

Outside of work, Fazila loves travelling, exploring new cultures and cuisine (which includes finding quirky coffee houses!), spending time with her family and mostly just having fun!

Adam Gosling (Clinical Support Worker)

Adam is one of three new clinical support workers to start at Derian House. He only moved up to our neck of the woods a whole week ago from Lincoln, as he’s crossed counties from the West Midlands with his girlfriend.

His previous work has consisted of him working with children and young people with autism and challenging behaviour. After studying Health & Social Care at college, Adam went to Holland for a month to work in a primary school. He was aware of Derian House due to his girlfriend who works at AO.com – they have done a lot of work for us in recent years in our gardens, even sponsoring our very own Smile Park.

When he’s not at work, Adam spends much of his spare time in the gym, playing football, or at music festivals.

Katie McKnight (Clinical Support Worker)

Katie is another newbie not from this part of town! After finishing her degree at Liverpool University in Psychology and completing her teacher training, she relocated from the Isle of Man and now lives in Wigan. Katie has previously worked at a residential home for children, and wanted to come to Derian as it’s a place where she can improve her skills and really make a difference.

She’s mostly looking forward to getting to know our staff, volunteers and children here at the hospice.

Outside of work, Katie also enjoys going to the gym and is part of the Ormskirk Rugby Union team!

As always, please ensure you make yourselves known to our new starters and give them a wave!

It’s an exciting day for Derian House retail, with our four shops across Lancashire back open for business after 14 weeks of lockdown restrictions forcing us to close up.

As we enter an exciting new era, we have two brand new shop managers in Leyland Preston taking the helm. Although you may not see them here at the hospice very often, please say hello and introduce yourselves if you see them in store.

Lyndsey Gornall (Leyland Shop Manager)

Our new Leyland Shop Manager previously worked, for many years, as a pet shop manager in St Helens. Prior to getting her new role at Derian House, Lyndsey also worked as a production manager for a beanbag manufacturer.

She also has a very personal connection to the hospice, as her step daughter Emily visits us for respite, and therefore Lyndsey has supported us for a long time. She knows firsthand just what we mean to families, and has a lot of love for the services that we provide.

When the shops reopen today, Lyndsey is most looking forward to getting the community spirit back and promoting Derian House to our lovely customers!

Outside of work, Lyndsey is finishing a languages degree in the evenings – she can speak an impressive three languages! Between her and her partner, they have five children which keep them busy, alongside two skunks, three cats, a Rottweiler, a Pomeranian, a snake, and a lizard!

Matt Mears (Preston Shop Manager)

Our new Preston Shop Manager has worked in the travel industry for most of his life, and actually worked with our Chief Exec, David, which is how he knew about Derian House.

Matt saw a clip about us on North West Tonight which sparked an interest in how Derian has grown over the years, and in turn led him to apply for the job at our Preston store. He’s looking forward to putting his own stamp on the shop as it wasn’t open long before going into lockdown, so it’s an exciting opportunity for he and his team.

He also has a background in vinyl, so is looking to expand our Discogs network and get some more records on sale in our shops. He’s looking forward to meeting new people and getting customers in the store!

Matt has three children between him and his partner, and loves going to gigs and camping when he can. Interestingly, both himself and Lyndsey are taking on ‘Dive for Derian’ this summer… it must be an initiation for new members of our retail team!

We’ve had three newbies join our Care Team at Derian House over the past couple of weeks, and although most of you will have had the pleasure of meeting them, we’ve still got members of staff working remotely who won’t have the opportunity just yet.

Joanne, Faye and Andrea have all begun their individual Derian adventures, and here’s a little bit more about them. Don’t forget to introduce yourselves if you haven’t already!

Joanne Millington (Registered Nurse)

Joanne previously worked at Manchester Children’s Hospital for six and a half years, before returning from maternity leave and wanting a new challenge.

Whilst still wanting to work with children and their families, Joanne saw the job advert for Derian and knew that it was exactly what she wanted. She’s looking forward to a change in care delivery and getting involved with the services we provide.

Being from Eccleston, Joanne has always been aware of Derian House, and some of her patients on the ward at MCH used our services.

Outside of work, Joanne is a Scouts leader in Croston and mother to two children.

Faye Hurley (Registered Nurse)

Faye has also joined us from Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she worked on the bone marrow transplant unit for two years.

When she was training to become a nurse, Faye used to visit Derian with children in the community at our Halloween and Christmas events, and knew that she would one day love to work here.

Faye is most looking forward to being a part of the Derian family and getting to know our children, young people, and of course the wider team.

In her spare time, Faye likes to keep fit and go to the gym.

Andrea Fontaine-Smith

Andrea previously worked for Lancashire County Council, doing a mixture of family and children wellbeing, youth work and palliative care.

When the job came up at Derian House, Andrea thought it was the perfect opportunity to collate all the best bits of the work she had already done throughout her career and do it all under one roof!

She’s really looking forward to working with all the strands that make Derian what it is, and getting to know the families that use our services.

Outside of work, Andrea loves music, and particularly enjoys going to see theatre shows. She also enjoys the outdoors, and even goes wild camping atleast once a year up in the Lakes. She has twin sisters and lives in Preston with her husband.