Darren Sumner

I have been responsible for my mother's full-time care for twenty-three years, something I take pride in, which involves around-the-clock, hands-on care to meet the demands of her longstanding comorbidities. The role includes preparing breakfast, administering medication, washing utensils, and cleaning the kitchen area. Washing her body and hair daily, cleaning dentures, ensuring oral hygiene is maintained, and assisting in dressing her.
During dressing, cream is administered to her body. She can apply it to some extent, but must be prompted and observed to ensure it is done correctly. Then I comb her hair and apply moisturizer. My mother cannot walk unassisted, so this means I assist in holding her arm and/or hands, body, to help assist walking downstairs to the living room area, and/or to seat her in a wheelchair when leaving the house for regular Hospital, GP, Opthalmic/ Diabetic Eye Screening, or Psychiatrist appointments, or weekly and monthly days out to coastal tourist resorts or local towns.
Duties also include regular daily washing of clothing, bedding, and pegging to the laundry line. Then, when dry, fold and place back where items are stored.
Sweeping and mopping floors using bleach and floor detergent, vacuuming furniture, rugs, and cleaning surfaces, using Dettol and bleach.
My mother is incontinent, even with the best precautions, such as using waterproof sheets on the bed; this often requires the mattress to be shampooed.
Also offering emotional support and the importance of social interaction. Preparing lunch and offering drinks such as tea, juice, or water, and assisting mother to the bedroom when she feels tired.
Grocery shopping
Monthly clothes and toiletries shopping
Preparing dinner, ensuring that mother is wearing a bib, cleaning, drying utensils, and storing them back in the cupboards
Often, my mother's incontinence will mean she urinates and/or defecates at any moment during the day, which requires my mother to be washed again, and disposal of soiled incontinence pads.
At night: Administering medication, removal of daytime clothing, dressing in pyjamas, and assisting mother into bed.
Throughout the night, I assisted my mother out of bed to use the toilet, then ensured her hands were washed thoroughly, and then assisted her back into bed.
The next day, repeat daily chores and duties.

Maintained the cleanliness of bar equipment, toilets, and public areas during events.

Collected and disposed of waste from spectator seating and pitch areas.

• Monitored smaller bins and transferred contents to larger wheeled bins.
• Coordinated waste collection logistics for efficient disposal by refuse truck.
• Ensured compliance with COSHH regulations when handling cleaning agents.

Facilitated social interaction between service users overcoming substance abuse.

Organized fortnightly day trips to cultural and recreational sites.

• Coordinated outreach work in the community, distributing informational materials.
• Served as liaison between residents and social services agencies.
• Arranged weekly social groups focusing on basic culinary skills.
• Collaborated with external experts to introduce cultural culinary themes.
• Conducted orienteering activities for able-bodied service users.
• Handled various administrative responsibilities.

Executed waste cutting from Trommel Screens to prepare the plant for inspection.

Cleaned Chain Conveyors with wet lubrication methods to enhance operational efficiency.

• Removed silt and debris from gullies using industrial pressure machinery.
• Excavated waste from pits, demonstrating ability to work in confined spaces.
• Applied detergents for the thorough cleaning of pit areas after excavation.
• Maintained strict adherence to PPE protocols to ensure personal and team safety.