Trustees

I have been a Daughter of Charity for almost 50 years and 20 of these years have been spent in St Joseph’s Service in various roles. I did my first Nurse Training in Learning Disabilities at St. Josephs’ School of Nursing and followed on with General Training in the Western General in Edinburgh. I fulfilled many roles in St Joseph’s and l can say with all honesty that l made lasting and life- long friends with staff and residents. It gives me great joy now to recognise and be recognised (wrinkles and all) by old friends on my return for Trustee meetings. I have gone on to other ministries with the Community but would always consider St Joseph’s as my first real home in community, and it continues to make a deep impression on my life.

Dignity, respect, inclusion, choice are the hallmarks of St Joseph’s Service and they truly live their values. The service has progressed over the years and will continue to progress because of the willingness of all to listen. The Advisors attend the Trustee meetings and shape the service planning by their wise interventions. I was honoured to be a part of St Joseph’s Service as a Trustee; I carry some of St. Joseph’s history but l hope to continue to be part of its future for a few years yet.

I was delighted to be accepted on to St. Joseph’s Services Board of Trustees in November 2020.

My background has been in social work, social care, commissioning, regulation and am currently working as an individual advocate.

The experience I have gained has included managing and developing service for people with learning disabilities.which covered residential, respite and day services in both local authorities and the voluntary sector.

I worked for the Care Inspectorate and regulated care homes, care at home and support services for different client groups against the National Care Standards / Quality Framework. This included being the inspector for St. Joseph’s from 2004 until 2018 during which I got to know many of the people being supported,, lots of staff and managers, visit peoples homes, came to special occasions and gained a real insight into the high standards aspired to by the organisation.

Throughout my career I have gained a good insight into what is good practice and operational issues of care services. This has included a strong commitment to involving people who are being supported. This was one of key aspects along with their sound values  that drew me to getting involved with St. Joseph’s as a Trustee.

I was born and grew up in Dundee and after qualifying as a teacher I taught for two years in Arbroath before entering the Daughters of Charity.

As a Daughter of Charity I’ve moved around quite a lot, but most of my time has been spent teaching deaf children, firstly in St John’s School for he Deaf in Boston Spa Yorkshire and then in Scotland where I set up a Catechetical Service for Deaf Children. 

I spent a few weeks in St Joseph’s when I was a Seminary Sister, but when I came to work with the deaf children in Scotland I worked with Frank Quinn on some Person-centred planning with a few of the service users.

We had a great time!

After that, while I was on the Daughters of Charity Leadership Team, I was as Board Member at St Joseph’s.

Now I am living and Glasgow and I’m delighted to be back supporting St Joseph’s as a Trustee.

I love the sense of community that is generated in St Joseph’s, a community where everyone has a part to play no matter who they are or what their role is. I hope I too can offer something to the community of St Joseph’s, but I suspect I’ll get more from them than I’ll ever be able to offer.