How did you come to work for the Charity and how old were you when you first started?

My friend Bernie Fairbrother who already worked for ExtraCare told me about a vacancy.  I was just 23 when I started.

Can you tell us about your progression journey?

I went from a Resident Finance Assistance, ExtraCare, Coventry, 1995 – 2003 to a Senior Accounting Technician (Income Management Team), ExtraCare, Coventry, 2003 to 2010 then on to a Team Leader Income Management Team, ExtraCare, Coventry, May 2010 – March 2022  and now Income Management Lead March 2022 to date. 

How has it been having the same organisation to work for while you went through all your major life milestones?

ExtraCare feels like my family, they have supported me through my life milestones, giving valuable advice and encouragement especially when my boys were young and again now, they are teenagers.

ExtraCare was also good when my husbands work went to a four day week, not long after I came back from maternity leave with my second child.  They were able to increase my hours, so I worked from three days to four days.

Then when I applied for the team leader role, that was a full-time position but they still offered it to me even though they knew I could only do four days as they knew I was the right candidate for the role. The hybrid working and flexi time really helps with the work life balance even though my boys are 20 & 17, it means I am at home if they need me.