Making A Difference – BBC Radio Sussex Interview
News
13th September 2022
Making A Difference: Managing Director Christina Bassadone Shares the Story of Guardian Angel Carers on BBC Radio
Make A Difference And Share A Story
On Sunday afternoon, on the 22nd of November 2020, and again the following Sunday, on the 29th of November, Christina Bassadone was interviewed by Sylvie Blackmore on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, about making a difference.
The interviews took place as a part of Sylvie’s Making a Difference series, which offers guests the opportunity to share their inspirational stories about their work in the community. Sylvie, who is also a clinician with the NHS, expressed appreciation for Christina and the entire Guardian Angels team while acknowledging the deeply rewarding nature of working in home care.
“Caring has been and always will be something very important and very special in our community.” – Sylvie Blackmore
We wholeheartedly agree with Sylvie, especially in light of Christina’s own inspiration to establish Guardian Angel Carers. Here are some thought-provoking snippets and quotes from Christina that are sure to inspire reflection:
“That seems like a former lifetime!”
After a rewarding sailing career took Christina to the Olympics (twice!), she experienced some personal losses that helped her better understand her post-Olympic priorities. Christiana established Task Angels in 2010, a domestic cleaning business, which enabled Christina to see that there was a need in the community for other kinds of services beyond household help. This realisation inspired Christina to establish Guardian Angel Carers, whose CQC Outstanding rating is a testimony to her high standards and ambition.
“I’m passionate about the elderly.”
Christina’s childhood experiences taught her about the importance of making a difference in the lives of the elderly. At different times in her early life, she lived with her grandparents, and her close relationships with them enabled her to understand her own passion for the elderly and for family in general. As a mother of three, Christina understands the importance of trust and compassion, and her commitment to compassionate care characterises her work with her team of over 250 at Guardian Angel Carers.
“And anything in between…in the comfort of home.”
The Care Pathway that sets Guardian Angel Carers apart ensures that no matter what kind of care you need, CareAngels deliver customised support and care with compassion in your own home. Whether it’s care with a “light touch” in the form of household help, or more intensive end of life care, or anything in between, Christina and her CareAngels provide visiting care, overnight care, or live-in care to the Chichester community and surrounding areas.
In addition to these insights about the history and ethos of Guardian Angel Carers, Christina also described the different ways Guardian Angel Carers have been able to adapt to the needs of our community and offer everyone a little extra support since the start of the pandemic.
With community events like our socially distant VE Day afternoon tea deliveries and the Harvest Festival hampers, all of our Golden Angel guests as well as our TaskAngel and Guardian Angel clients twice received a day-brightening parcel to lift their spirits.
For VE Day last spring, we delivered tea and scones (in stylish vintage outfits, no less) to our community, enabling everyone to share stories and memories of their own experiences over a cream tea. This past September, we delivered Harvest Festival hampers full of goodies from the Runcton Farm Shop, our own baking wizard Chris Holloway, and Barfoots UK.
As well, we call all of our Golden Angels on a bi-monthly basis, just to check in and enjoy a chat whilst also ensuring that no one goes without a friendly conversation for too long.
As Christina explained on both episodes of the radio show, working in care offers incredible job satisfaction. Both Christina and her team of over 250 CareAngels all experience a sense of purpose and an awareness of the valuable difference they are able to make in people’s lives. Many thanks to the entire Guardian Angel Carers community for giving us the support we need to do our jobs as well as we can. We truly love caring for our community.
