• Transforming Golding Grange

Transforming Golding Grange

Set in the picturesque town of Matlock on the edge of the Derbyshire Dales, Golding Grange is normally home to one of our Day Service centres and three Supported Living properties. The Day Service provides support to 42 people each week, and boasts a team of around 24 activities organisers.

Following the closure of the Day Service due to coronavirus, Project Manager Mel Bateman and her team set about transforming their service to provide accommodation for up to seven new people should a situation arise where some of their service users needed to move out of their homes due to staff having to self-isolate or becoming unwell.

Fortunately, so far only three service users have had to temporarily move to Matlock, which is a testament to the dedication of our staff.

The first task was to make the premises more home-like. The staff rapidly cleared out the office spaces, deep-cleaned all the rooms, and made them into lovely bedrooms. The kitchen was changed so it became more of a domestic kitchen, and the newly refurbished “quiet lounge” was turned into a relaxing living-room. Further changes included splitting the large dining room into a dining room and a craft space, and turning the sensory room into a staff room.

Staff then used Day Service minibuses to collect the three young women from their current home along with their beds, clothes and even food!

The team then had to transform themselves from activities organisers into cleaners, gardeners, decorators, a shopping and delivery service to local elderly parents, and removal specialists to support workers!

“Everyone has had to adapt quickly, and at times it has been difficult,” says Mel. “The team has split into smaller teams to reduce footfall in properties, and is currently working across 8-9 homes in the Matlock area, either Supported Living or providing Outreach-type support. They are also supporting some Day Service clients who are in need of the support.

“Staff have also come into Golding Grange and planted flowers and tidied up the garden to make sure it still looks lovely! They also ring around the Day Service families to check that they are all ok, kept in touch with Derbyshire County Council, and done the shopping for some families who are shielding.

“We also made our own keyworker scarecrow like some families in the street nearby have done!”