Home Instead (Cleveland)

I am a local lad, born and bred in Stockton-on-Tees and after moving to London for university and a career, was drawn back quite quickly to my native area where I love to live and where I wanted to bring up my family!

Over the years, I have enjoyed many great times battling on the rugby pitch for Stockton Rugby Club, among other great teams, before my bones and sinews decided they just couldn’t cope with the strains anymore! More sedately, I have been a long-standing member and three times Chairman of Stockton Round Table. This involved me supporting many good local causes and charities, including the elderly, always wanting to be able to contribute to the good of the local community and wider area. On a work front, I have enjoyed a successful career working from the ground up to senior management levels in Human Resources Management and Organisational Development with small as well as very large organisations - I just love being involved with people.

I get a great deal of personal satisfaction from recruiting, training, developing and nurturing great quality staff who deliver fantastic services and who truly enjoy and are totally engaged in the work they do. Whilst always working very hard for other people to improve and bettering their organisations, my real quest has been to run my own top-quality business.

I bumped into Home Instead who were looking to open a new office in Cleveland and have not looked back! Home Instead is renowned for its excellence in providing superior quality care across the UK and the world…..now available to you where you live!

It is a genuine pleasure working with my partner Michelle, helping her realise her ambition to improve the quality of life, independence and happiness of our clients in their own homes where they want to be providing peace of mind for their families at the same time.

Equally, I am thrilled to be able to deliver a sought-after service in the community where I live and to create immensely rewarding local jobs for local ‘superstars’ to care for our local elderly. We love what we do!

Home Instead Cleveland is owned by Gavin Morrigan and Michelle Fairless - ‘real life’ partners as well as Home Instead business partners. Together they have had successful careers providing high-quality, reliable and dependable services with well-regarded companies.

For me it's quite simple, I love what I do! Making a huge difference to families!

I have developed a great passion for providing the highest quality service to older people and their families that sadly I just couldn’t find for my own family when we needed it.  Unfortunately, there are many, many people who continue to share my experiences. Knowing of the incredible difficulties and near-impossible challenges many families have faced when service providers have failed to deliver sometimes the most basic levels of dignity and care, my mission has become to provide the very best elderly care possible. We deliver what we promise. My dream to make a real difference is now a reality. It has been so rewarding to see the hugely positive impact that the service we deliver has on people's lives, not only the people we provide care for directly, but their families as well, providing them with much-needed peace of mind through our excellent care and companionship service.

The end result is that this combination enables us to help more people remain independent, happy and fulfilled in their own homes, where most elderly people want to be, for far longer than is often the case with their families knowing they couldn’t have made a better choice. A choice, sadly, I never had.

Outside of work, Gavin and I enjoy many outdoor activities, particularly in the countryside. We also have 4 children, well young adults really who themselves have diverse social lives and sporting interests outside of their studies or work. The final additions are our mischievous cat and playful black Labrador who ensure we are kept busy at all times! Very rarely do we find ourselves wondering what to do next or where to go!

Kate Smith is the Registered Manager at Home Instead Cleveland and joined the Home Instead Family very early in our journey in 2016. Straight out of college, she began her career with us and Kate has flourished and developed her skills to get to where she is now.

Reason for joining Home Instead:

I joined Home Instead as a CAREGiver in 2016. At the time I was very new to the working world having just left college and a part-time role with a food chain.

At the time I had no driving license so nearly never got the job, however, after reading to the very end of my CV Gavin noticed I rode a motorbike and the rest was history…

Clients loved that I rode my bike to and from their houses in all weathers to be there for them, and for one particular client, this was a huge topic of conversation being a former motorcycle rider himself.

I soon started working with a variety of clients and this instantly boosted my confidence and people skills and I very quickly realised what I difference I could make.

After some time as a CAREGiver, I was offered a position in the office where I worked with Gavin and Michelle on a daily basis, just the 3 of us! With only a handful of clients to look after.

Now with an office team of 17, I have had the pleasure of not only watching our office team and care pro team grow but to seeing the number of people we support in our local area remain independent at home double each year.

Hobbies/interests:

In my spare time, I like to take my dog Mabel out for long walks around Wynard Woodland Walk and Cotham Woods.

I am generally a creative person and enjoy most things of that nature and I am constantly trying new hobbies and projects.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I grow most of my own fruit and vegetables in my garden/allotment and this is something that I really enjoy.

Brenda is our Deputy Care Manager and joined the Home Instead Cleveland family after a long career of 19 years within the Financial Industry and customer service.

Reason for joining Home Instead: 

I believe the position at Home Instead came my way at the right time in my life. With a wealth of experience from working with Customers and People Management, I knew that my skills would be beneficial in contributing to the Home Instead way and working for a company that not only CQC Outstanding rating but also has a 5-star Best Employee Award, showing me that they not only give a great service to their clients but also deliver a great service as an employee.

Hobbies/interests:

Outside of work, I’m normally running down the road, no I am not being chased, I actually enjoy keeping fit. I enjoy going to the gym and have always been a member of some gyms here and there over the years. I love the outdoors so if I’m not out walking with my dog through the fields, we are camping and living the outdoor life. She is my little companion and has such enjoyment in my life.

You can normally find me in the office eating, if I’m not eating, I’m looking for food to eat, much to the disappointment of those on diets.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I am originally from Northern Ireland, therefore I am of  Irish origin, however, sadly my accent does not reflect that.  It certainly keeps people guessing though. My childhood years were spent moving around within the armed forces.

Claire Fryett is one of our Care Coordinator/Scheduler, she spent 10 years in retail management before joining the Home Instead Cleveland family.

Reason for joining Home Instead:

I joined Home Instead as I was ready for a new challenge. I’d always worked in customer service and am passionate about helping people. I saw this role advertised and knew that it was right for me as it combines both the scheduling aspect and customer service style role that I was looking for. I wanted to work for a company where everybody is happy and enjoys coming to work and that’s exactly what I found here. I’m a people person and I love getting to know our clients are CarePros.

Hobbies/interests:

I live in Middlesbrough and have two young children and a teenage stepson, so I spend my time outside of work with my family. I love to spend weekends walking around the garden centres or having a walk along Redcar seafront with a little trip to the arcades with the kids. In the summer I enjoy family camping and caravanning trips with my husband, kids, and parents. To me, family is the most important thing and I like to make sure every weekend counts. I also have a huge shopping addiction and love hunting out a good bargain!

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I have a huge fear of heights, however, on my honeymoon in Mexico, I faced my fears and ziplining across the Mexican jungle. I was absolutely terrified beforehand and even cried in the queue before the first zipline! However, as soon as I completed the first one I was absolutely hooked, it was the most exciting and amazing experience of my life and I’d love to go back and do it again.

Ross is the recruiter for Home Instead Cleveland and joined the Home Instead family in October 2021 after working for Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) as a Trainee Officer.

Reason for joining Home Instead: 

I initially joined Home Instead to assist with admin work, but this quickly escalated into Recruitment Administration and then becoming a Recruiter. For many years before my joining, I had heard great things about the company, its ethos, and its scope for the future and this attracted me to join when the position became available.

My Hobbies and interests include:

- Watching most sports, my favourites being: UFC, Football, Rugby, and Formula 1

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

In 2019 I circumnavigated the globe.