Here is just a small selection of some of Wickersley Schools Alumni who are supporting us as a community and people throughout the country as keyworkers on the front line, fighting this pandemic.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our article so far and we look forward to celebrating so many more next week!
Caitlin Deakin
Caitlin’s story shows how it takes a lot of different roles and people to keep things operational. We are proud of all the key work that our ex-students are involved in.
“I left Year 11 Wickersley in 2016, and I now work as an administrator for the Clinical Commissioning Group in North Kirklees. As an administrator, it’s sometimes difficult to see the direct effect of the work you’re doing when you have no patient contact. During this time, I can’t help but feel a little helpless, not being able to be hands-on with patients and people who need care.
However, the team that I work with are currently responsible for heading NHS staff Coivd-19 testing in Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield, and are setting up “hot sites” and hubs that test, treat and triage symptomatic people. We also have an enormous focus on care within residential care homes, supporting elderly and vulnerable individuals at this time, working on ways to make them safer and constantly improve their care.
Without the work that I and many other administrators do, some jobs and successes within the NHS just would not be possible. So, although it’s easy to feel really far-removed from it all right now, I am proud of myself and my fellow NHS administration colleagues for all their tireless work, supporting the wider picture, and being a vital cog that keeps the NHS machine going!”
Katie Staniforth
“I attended the school from 2000 to 2005 and I was Katie Walker back in secondary years. I currently work full time as an early years practitioner and special educational needs and disabilities coordinator at a private nursery in Worksop, I have been there for six years and am currently working on the front line due to the coronavirus pandemic providing childcare for other critical key workers.
Thank you Wickersley for making this feel like it’s a worthwhile cause and I hope to portray to many students that studying pays off in the end.”
Vickie Walker
“I attended Wickersley Comprehensive school as it was then, from 1983 to 1988. I always wanted to work with children, but after placement in a care home, I realised that I wanted to work and care for the elderly, I loved hearing their life stories and I loved how they liked my out of tune singing. After caring for my Nannan I wanted to carry on that care with others, those whose families were not in a position to care full time for them.
At present I work as a senior carer in a local care home, which includes administering medication, working alongside professionals, running a 12-hour shift. During this awful time, we have been on lockdown which means to reduce the risk of COVID-19, no family members are allowed in, essential professionals only. We have made sacrifices in our personal lives to protect our residents and each other. We work on keeping spirits high, putting our own fears to one side. We facetime and ring family members, make birthdays and anniversaries as much fun as we can.
On my days off I have been going into work to do our resident’s hair in the salon that we have to give them a pamper and some kind of normality.
We have pulled together as a family and lift each other up, I am so proud to do my job, and be part of a very caring team. We are faced with end of life and support families with dignity and compassion which is so difficult at the best of times, but at present is extra heartbreaking. Every care worker whether in homes or community are worth their weight in gold and much much more.”
Craig Batham
“I left Wickersley School in 2003 after completing my sixth form studies. I’m currently employed as an operations manager for a business based in Leeds for my day job and have recently been placed on furlough due to the pandemic.
However, I also volunteer with South Yorkshire Police as a Deputy Chief of the Special Constabulary and am now giving my full time to support the police during this crisis.”