Michelle was working on the neonatal intensive care unit in Hull when she saw the job at Andy’s advertised, and was “blown away” to be offered the position of Deputy Manager.
“I was really excited both about the change of career, but also being part of something that was brand new that you could help shape. We spent two weeks together as a team before Andy’s opened, raising awareness of Andy’s and the services it could provide. It was very much recognising that this would be something different; none of us had experienced this environment or provided this care.
“If you’d told me in 2001 that I’d be the Chief Executive, I’d have thought you were absolutely crazy. I’ve had so many amazing opportunities and experienced that have helped me to everything that the members of our organisation do as part of their roles. The best bit is recognising and celebrating the achievements of others and being able to say thank you. Without our teams, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do here at the hospice.”
Michelle said she has been driven and shaped into the person she is today by “all the people I’ve met”.
“The children, the young people, the parents; those people who I’ve worked with and supported, but also the colleagues I’ve worked alongside; I’ve learnt so much from everybody. I’ve not always got things right and I think learning from those experiences is important, but the person I am is very much shaped by those people who have touched me, I’ve cared for and worked with. It’s always been about being a team; not just with staff and volunteers but with the child, their parent and listening to what they have to say.”
And as she celebrates her 25th work anniversary, she is looking forward to taking on 25 challenges to help raise much-needed funds for the children’s hospice.
“They aren’t all finalised yet so we’ll be able to share more information very soon, but the aim is to connect with colleagues here at the hospice as well as our supporters in the community. It’s about raising funds for the hospice, but also recognizing some of the challenges that our children, young people and their families go through. I can’t ever fully experience what those are like, but doing some things that are difficult connects with some of the experiences of our patients and their families, and that’s really important.”