Affinity's New Manager reveals moving secret behind his success

Newly appointed Affinity Manager Stephen Penketh has one very emotional reason for loving his job so much - his late Auntie Wendy.

Throughout his childhood spent in Accrington, she was a popular figure within Stephen's family's and the fact that she had Down's Syndrome was just an accepted  part of everyday life.

" We loved her to bits and she loved us to bits," recalls Stephen, who believes his experience of her disability encouraged him to  work in learning support services.

"She had a big influence on me and probably always will have. She taught me to see the person - not the disability," he adds of the aunt who died three years ago.

Stephen first began working at Affinity in 2004 as a bank support worker which he instantly found more rewarding than previous jobs. Within six months he had accepted a full time position and trained to NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care.  In February this year he was appointed Manager.                                                   

"I absolutely love the job and I'm  ecstatic at being appointed Affinity Manager. We have such a strong staff team here  and I  think they relate to somebody who has done the job from the bottom up. I also know all the service users really well which is fantastic. I've found my niche!"

 One of Stephen's favourite moments working for Affinity was having the chance to support a 22-year-old service user to achieve an ambition he'd harboured for ten years - to visit Disneyland.

 "His face was a picture when he arrived at Walt Disney World. I'd have gone with him without pay just to see that!" he admits.

Springhill's  Managing Director Donna Briggs said: " There is absolutely no doubting Stephen's passion for the job and for that I think our service users  have a lot to thank Auntie Wendy for! After seeing first hand the way he treats our service users as individuals and equals, I  am certain he will make a great success of his new position."