Lesley Armistead

I have worked for several UK largest charities, the Salvation Army, managing community centres and churches across the UK and overseas and for Age Concern in London and at Emmaus, a charity working with homeless people in Bedfordshire. I have been a registered manager of a care home in Harrogate and I now work as a therapeutic foster carer with Chrysalis Consortium. I am passionate about helping people in need, able to empathise with those less fortunate, and represent companies and organisations in a confident manner.

Registered Manager at Fern House, Abbeyfield the Dales (2023-11 – Present)

I am the registered manager of a 30 bedded care home and 49 extra care apartments for which we supply a care package for independent residents, a day centre and pre-school. This was 'requires improvement' when I started; recent mock inspection showed it as now 'good'.

Therapeutic Foster Carer at Chrysalis Consortium (2021-05 – 2024-05)

I fostered children with trauma with the above agency.

Nursing Home Manager at Huddersfield Nursing Home (2022-01 – 2022-08)

I managed a 42-bed nursing home in Huddersfield as a turnaround manager. I have managed in this time to get the staff on board with necessary changes according to CQC requirements. I line manage the staff, oversee the care of our residents with help from our clinical lead. I turned this home around with the team from inadequate to Requires Improvement.

• Reason for leaving: the provider went into liquidation.

Regional Specialist Older People's Ministries at The Salvation Army (2020-07 – 2021-07)

To enable local Salvation Army churches to promote work amongst older people, partnership working statutory, third sector and community groups, develop pastoral and ministry responses for people and carers living with dementia across Yorkshire and NE.

• Reason for leaving: redundancy due to Covid.

Registered Manager at Emmaus House, Harrogate (2017-10 – 2020-07)

I line manage 36 members of staff comprising care assistants, seniors, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, housekeepers, assistant manager and administrator. I am responsible for their supervision, appraisals and training. The home had a CQC inspection (Good) whilst under my leadership.

I am responsible for the safe running of the home including the refurbishment, fire safety, risk assessments and audits. I work to a budget and ensure all our 23 residents are cared for, kept safe, have a voice, and that their care plans are kept up-to-date. I liaise with their families, other agencies and try to raise our profile in the community.

• Reason for leaving: to work for The Salvation Army again.

Support Manager and Volunteer Co-ordinator at Emmaus, Carlton (2014-05 – 2017-10)

I was responsible for 50 volunteers and three members of support staff. Emmaus is a residential centre for homeless people, many with mental health needs, and a social enterprise with a bistro and several second-hand shops. I was responsible for income generation, helping the residents in their training and moving on, assisting the director, allowances and claiming housing benefit. I was also acting director for the centre for 6 months whilst there was no director in place.

• Reason for leaving: to move up North to be nearer family.

Career break - Restaurant and Cleaning Work at Restaurant and cleaning business (2011-11 – 2014-05)

Following redundancy, I moved to France to finish the renovation work on my house and to improve my French. I worked in a French restaurant where I was able to develop my teamwork skills and ran my own cleaning business.

• Reason for leaving: to return to UK for daughter's education.

Day Centre Manager at Age Concern Ealing, London (2010-08 – 2011-11)

I was line manager to four paid members of staff and fifteen volunteers. I carried out FACE Overview Assessments in people's homes and typed them up onto our Database, attended Managers' Meetings and helped our Chief Executive when required. I was responsible for all Team Meetings, Service Users' Forums, ensuring our programme was relevant and interesting, made all decisions and carried out staff supervision and banking.

I had to write an Annual Report, Monthly Reports and weekly Key Performance Indicators.

• Reason for leaving: redundancy due to lack of funding (60%).

Officer, Chaplain and Community Centre Manager at The Salvation Army, Birmingham (2002-05 – 2010-08)

I was elected Secretary and Vice Chair to the Erdington Christian Council of Churches. This meant organising the Annual General Meeting, taking minutes and mixing with other churches. In this job I was responsible for all decisions, pastoral care, health and safety, property maintenance and had the legal responsibility if things went wrong.

I was chaplain at a centre for women and children seeking refuge from violent partners. I led various services for both staff and residents. During this time I was able to develop my counselling skills as many of the residents had serious problems and issues such as addictions, poor health and homelessness.

• Reason for leaving: To work for another charity.

Commanding Officer and Editor at L'Esercito della Salvezza (The Salvation Army) (1996-05 – 2002-05)

I moved to Italy to work for the Italian Salvation Army in the Alps, near Turin. This appointment enabled me to master the ability to adapt to completely new surroundings and ways of thinking. During this time, I also had to organise and lead a two week residential summer camp for children and adolescents from Rome and Turin.

I line managed the staff - cook, cleaner, youth workers. The camp was a success. I was responsible for The Salvation Army's leading Italian newspaper, "Il Grido di Guerra" with a strong readership. I had to work to a tight deadline.

• Reason for leaving: To return to the UK children's secondary school.

Commanding Officer at The Salvation Army (1991-06 – 1996-05)

This was quite a large responsibility as it was a larger Corps and Centre in a market town where being a good ambassador for The Salvation Army was essential. I had to organise town events like the annual Carol Service with the Mayor and local dignitaries in attendance.

• Reason for leaving: To move overseas within The Salvation Army.

PA to Under Secretary – South Asia Department at The Salvation Army, International Headquarters (1984-07 – 1989-09)

I worked in the City at The Salvation Army's International Headquarters as filing clerk, then as typist and finally as PA to the Under Secretary.

• Reason for leaving: To attend The Salvation Army's Residential College.

Ordained Minister of Religion (Level 5 in Higher Education equivalent) in Ministry and Religion – William Booth College (1989 – 1991)

Italian school leavers in General Education – Collegio Valdese (1978 – 1984)