Meet Charlie

Meet Charlie
A Passionate Member of the Friends Helping at Home Team

Behind every great organisation is a team of individuals who bring their unique experiences, passions, and skills to the table. At Friends Helping at Home, we’re proud to introduce Charlie, who embodies the heart and soul of our mission.

In this blog, we hear first hand from Charlie about her journey, her day-to-day life, and the passion that drives her to make a meaningful impact every day.

Who is Charlie?

I grew up in Torquay, my first “job” was volunteering in the Rowcroft shop in Wellswood, I would love when I got to update the window display! I had a keen interest in fashion industry and went full guns blazing into this – moving to London at 18 to study Fashion and then built an exciting career for 10 years working in the industry.

I had my “dream” job but was missing something I needed something with more “heart” that aligned with my values and the family life I wanted to lead.

What are her hobbies and interests?

I have always loved travelling to new countries and experiencing new cultures, especially the food! In 2023, my partner and I fully immersed in our love of travelling and left the UK to spend a year in Australia, we had the most amazing time travelling around the country with some highlights being snorkelling in the great barrier reef and driving a campervan up the west coast of the country.

When in Devon I love to be out in nature and can often be found at the weekend walking on Dartmoor or one of our gorgeous Devon beaches.

My favourite spot is Slapton beach! We grew up taking picnics down here and playing in the sea, it’s filled with so many childhood memories.I now enjoy walking along the beach to Torcross and indulging in fish and chips from the pub!

Why did you choose to join Friends Helping at Home?

I returned to Torquay to support my family, especially my elderly grandparents, and was eager to take on a new challenge after over 10 years in fashion history.

I joined FHAH in June, working in the Head Office team on registration and compliance while also supporting our amazing clients with companionship and enabling visits. Helping clients at home—whether preparing meals, going for walks, or sharing a chat over tea—has been incredibly rewarding.

I enjoy bringing my planning skills to the team, tracking trends, and improving processes for registration and onboarding.

“Joining the care sector has been a whole new experience, and I’ve loved being part of FHAH!”

How would you describe a typical day for you working on registration with Friends Helping at Home?

A typical day for me starts with a coffee and catching up on the Registration inbox. We receive lots of emails later in the evening from new carers joining us so working through these and processing any forms that need to be completed is always my first job of the day.

I enjoy catching up with the branch managers and directors across the network and I’m regularly on the phone updating them on the registration process and newbies coming through.

The other part of my office role is very project lead, so changes week to week which I love as gives me lots of variety and new things to look at.

Recently, I’ve been working on our 6 monthly satisfaction survey, analysing the results from both our clients and carers. It’s been amazing to see all the lovely comments and read through suggestions of how we can improve and working with branches on implementing these changes.

How do you ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for new care providers joining the network?

Communication is key for the onboarding experience. We ask Carers joining us to provide lots of different documentation to ensure we’re keeping both our clients and carers safe. I make myself available for questions by email, phone call or a new registration WhatsApp group to make it even easier for people to ask questions as they work through.

Please describe working for Friends Helping at Home in 3 words.

Fulfilling

Exciting

Rewarding