We were due to hold a celebration to recognise the staff in Kingdom Support & Care (KSC) who have been with the Kingdom Group (KHA and KSC) for many years. It has had to be put on hold whilst we are in the current situation but we wanted to recognise them in some way now more than ever.
The longest-serving person, celebrating 20 years with Kingdom, is Lorraine Reekie. Lorraine started with KHA in August 1999 as an Admin Officer. She is currently Team Administrator with the Business Support Team and works hard along with the team to make sure that everything is in place to help the business run smoothly. This is no mean feat at times and particularly now when there is extra work and all being done remotely! Thank you Lorraine for your contribution now and over the last years – we don’t know what we would do without you.
Next are two support staff who are celebrating 15 years with Kingdom.
Frances Parret is a support worker at the Lochiel service and she started with Kingdom in September 2004. Frances initially worked with KHA in the Glenrothes offices and in November 2008 started work with Support and Care in the Lochiel service where she has worked for 10 years. This means she brings great experience and knowledge in her role which benefits all. Thank you Frances for continuing to support people and ensuring they have had great lives for so many years. Your commitment to the post and Kingdom is appreciated.
Margo McBennet is a support worker in our James Bank Service, working to support people who are homeless to get back on track and find settled accommodation and lives. It can be a challenging service but Margo takes it all in her stride and always does her best for the people she supports. Margo has held different posts over the years and is always flexible and responsive – qualities which we value greatly. Thank you Margo for all you have contributed over the years.
We have three staff who are celebrating 10 years service with Kingdom.
Deborah Boyle works with the Dunfermline Service and started with Kingdom in May 2009. Deborah worked for many years as a support worker and now holds the post of Senior Support Worker in the service. We are pleased when support workers want to progress in their careers and in the organisation and Deborah has shown that commitment and experience win through. Thank you Deborah for your ongoing contribution and commitment to Kingdom, the people we support and to those in your team.
Andrew Thomson is a support worker at the Lochiel Service and started with Kingdom in June 2006. He has been a consistent and reliable presence in the service and brings great skill and knowledge to the team at Lochiel, knowing the people he supports very well which in turn helps them to have settled and fulfilling lives. Thank you Andrew for staying with the service, the organisation and the people you support which has made a great difference to all.
Helen Cockburn is a support worker at the James Bank Service and works mainly in the outreach section of the service, supporting people who are at risk of homelessness and who, for many reasons, often have chaotic lives. It takes strong commitment, a belief in people and many skills to stick with those we support at times and Helen has shown that she has all of these things. Thank you Helen for your ongoing commitment to the service and those you support and for helping people make a real difference in their lives.
Between them, these staff have clocked up 80 years of service which is a number to be proud of!! I think we could probably write a book if they all shared their experiences and stories but maybe that is an idea for the future. Watch this space!
In the meantime, thank you all again for your commitment and hard work, particularly in these challenging times. We look forward to holding a celebration to recognise your contributions as soon as we are able to.
