Meet our training team

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Meet Amanda Ansell, Regional Assessor for Central

Hello! My name is Amanda, I am the Regional Assessor for Central. I have been working for Helping Hands since April 2019 after I came to the UK from South Africa, where I had lived for many years.

My first role with Helping Hands was as a live-in carer, caring mainly for customers with dementia, which I really enjoyed. In August 2021, I was offered the role of national assessor within Helping Hands, and earlier this year I became the Regional Assessor for the Central Region based at our Head Office in Alcester.

When I am not at work I like to learn, especially about Health and Social Care, luckily, I also love to read, which really helps with research! I also spend quite a lot of time catching up with family and friends all over the world.

During the assessment week, I explore a variety of topics with our new live-in carers which ensure that they are fully prepared and confident to offer care and support to our customers in their homes. Active participation is a very important part of the assessment, so I encourage everyone to join in our discussions and activities in the training room.

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Meet Denise Brain, Regional Assessor for the South West

I have worked for Helping Hands for nearly five years, first joining as a visiting carer. Before working for Helping Hands, I gained experience in the care sector by working for a local  domiciliary company for a year before working on an elderly mentally infirm (EMI) unit in a nursing  home on the Gower peninsular in Wales. I can clearly remember the interview I had with my first care company where the lady who interviewed me told me, “Care is a job you will either love or hate, and you will know on your first day”. There has never been a truer word spoken! I was so nervous on my first day of being a carer, however, within an hour of shadowing an experienced carer, I knew I had made the right decision to work in care. I loved it from the very beginning and I have never looked back! My only regret is that I never chose to follow a career in care sooner!

During my time with the company, I have progressed from carer to a care and training practitioner for Swansea branch, and now a regional assessor for South West region. I absolutely love my role as a regional assessor as it gives me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world. When I’m not at  work, I love spending time with my family.  I am extremely close with my sister who has recently been diagnosed with mixed dementia at the young age of 63. I am determined to make sure she lives well with dementia and ensure I can help make many happy memories with her while we can!

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