Behind the scenes: On the road with Lifeways’ very own property maintenance team

Keeping a home maintained takes a lot of care and attention.

And when you support 4,200 people across 1,500 supported living, residential, and mental health services, you need a dedicated team of experienced maintenance professionals.

Some years ago, external maintenance professionals had to be called in every time something went wrong. This meant unfamiliar faces, inconsistent standards of work, and higher overall costs.

In 2023, as part of Lifeways’ transformation agenda, our five-person Property Team, led by Andrea Ellison, Head of Property, began recruiting a 10-person cohort of in-house Property Maintenance Operatives. As of November, the team is now fully staffed.

Armed with a van-load of tools, decades of collective experience, and a cheery manner, our Property Maintenance Operatives each cover a dedicated area of operations.

Routine repairs

Every month, each operative visits dozens of services to carry out routine repairs, such as replacing door handles, fixing plumbing leaks, painting walls, and conducting safety checks.

Most importantly, our Property Maintenance Operatives build relationships with our support teams and the people we support.

On that day, Shaun was heading to Burgess Care, our 20-bed residential service in Leamington Spa, to paint the bedroom of Laura, one of the individuals we support there.

A firm bond

The service holds a special place in Shaun’s heart. During the pandemic, he built an outdoor shelter to facilitate safe visits between individuals we support and their families.

Over the years, he’s formed a strong bond with the support team and the people we support at Burgess Care.

“We have a lot of fun, a lot of laughs,” Shaun explains. At Laura’s request, he will paint her bedroom in her favourite colour: pink.

A decorator by trade, Shaun particularly enjoys painting. After a chat and an explanation of the work, he says goodbye to Laura, who will be spending the morning on an outing with her support team.

“I treat these services like my home, so we try to make them look the best,” says Shaun. “The advantage of having our own property maintenance team is that we can be there straight away and get jobs done quickly.

"The people we support get to know us and feel more comfortable with someone familiar coming into their home.”

‘A flutter in my heart’

While at the residential service, Shaun has other tasks to complete. He’ll top up the salt in the service’s water softener system and check that the hot water temperatures reach a safe level.

And when the paint fumes have cleared and Laura returns from her trip, Shaun looks forward to seeing her reaction.

“I know that when she comes in, she’ll have a big smile on her face, which will put a big smile on my face—and give me a flutter in my heart,” Shaun says.

About Lifeways:

Lifeways is the UK’s largest team of support professionals providing support for adults in the community.

We support adults with diverse and complex needs, including learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, and mental health conditions.

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