Beyond Limits Dumfries & Galloway staff

This page has information about our staff in Dumfries & Galloway.

Pat Burnett, Service Leader

I have worked within social care for most of my working life. I started my first job in care as a support worker, working in an old people nursing home. I then moved on to working closely with people on a one to one basis mostly living in their own homes with varying degrees of support needs. This gave me a flavour for the difference that can be made in people’s lives if they are given the right support. I lead a busy life with my family, enjoy playing Tennis and Pickleball which is a game I learned to play on holiday in California. I loved it so much I decided to introduce it at my local Community Centre. It has been a huge hit, and we now run four sessions a week. With the inspiration of Beyond Limits in Plymouth I have set up Beyond Limits Dumfries & Galloway. Based on the same person centred principles we offer the same level of support, in keeping with our values and beliefs. I am very familiar with the local area, know lots of people and I am looking forward to the next chapter in the Journey of Life.

Lea Graham, Assistant Service Leader

I have worked in the care sector for many years, working with Partners for Inclusion for seven years where I was initially a Support Worker and progressed to Service Leader.  At the same time, I was also doing bank work as a Nursing Assistant with NHS at Ailsa Hospital in Ayr.  I then moved into children’s residential for two years, a short spell in adult residential before a move to Plymouth to join the Beyond Limits team there as a Team Leader.

Last year I took the decision to move back to Scotland to be nearer my family.  I was offered the opportunity to work with Beyond Limits Dumfries & Galloway as Assistant Service Leader and moved to Lochmaben to start work just before Christmas 2020.  In this role, I will be growing and developing the organisation to continue the amazing work of Beyond Limits in delivering excellent person-centred support.  I am a friendly, outgoing person who isn’t afraid of hard work so I am enjoying this new challenge.

In my spare time I enjoy horse-riding and going to the gym. I also like general socialising and eating out.

 

Rosalind Watt, Operations Co-ordinator

Rosalind Watt – Administration Assistant. I have worked within the Third Sector for over 20 years for two different charities initially in admin and finance but later including support work within my role. I had just been offered a new job with another charity when I was diagnosed with breast cancer so I gave up the new job. I took a year off to go through my treatment and in that time I bumped into Pat, Service Leader of Beyond Limits Dumfries & Galloway. I knew Pat from working with her previously. She mentioned she didn’t have any admin support, I offered my services as I didn’t have a job to go back to after treatment finished and the rest is history. This is a completely new sector for me. Having supported people using Health and Council services and then unpaid Carers, it is interesting to see how it all works from the other side. I love helping and supporting people and I feel that even though this is a new sector for me, I am still helping to provide support.

I have two grown-up children, one living in London and the other in Liverpool, two of my favourite cities. They both work within the arts and perform in their spare time, my daughter being in an amateur dramatic theatre company and my son being the front man for his own band. Having a passion for theatre and live music, I really enjoy going to see them perform. I also have a Dalmatian and she is my therapy. I’m a very positive person that enjoys life but having had cancer, there are moments when the fear of it coming back can be a bit overwhelming. My gorgeous Polly is my therapy and we walk miles together which really helps with the mental and physical health and wellbeing.

I love working at Beyond Limits. I have a huge amount of respect for the ethos of the organisation and I work with an amazing team who are passionate about what they do. I look forward to supporting Pat and the team for a long time to come.

 

Ainslie Armstrong, Support Worker

I have always been interested in working with people and after leaving school I went on to complete my HNC in childcare and early education. I worked as a nursery practitioner and really loved my job and working with children.

My life changed when I had my 2 beautiful girls, and whilst they were growing up I just did some cleaning jobs, recently my youngest has started school and I decided it was time for me to do something for me. Thanks to Beyond Limits I am now doing a job I love again, working with and supporting people in our local area is such a rewarding job, it has definitely brought the best out in me.

 

June Garthwaite, Support Worker

I started my career in care in 2004 at a local care home, I really enjoyed my job and felt it was very home from home. However, due to unforeseen circumstances the home closed and my heart wasn’t in caring anymore and so I went on to housekeeping jobs.

I noticed a while later though that an opportunity came up to work with Beyond Limits, I applied and got the position and I am so glad to be part of the team and I am really enjoying this work again. When not working, I enjoy days with family, weekends away and walking my dogs.

 

Madhia Gemie, Support Worker

I’m a busy Mum of 4 young adults and I love spending my spare time with friends and family. My hobbies are gardening, cooking, amateur dramatics, theatre, and music concerts. Whenever I get the chance, I also love dancing. I have a bright & bubbly personality and love to talk, but I’m a good listener too. I enjoy keeping fit by walking, swimming and I like to relax by taking part in Pilates and Yoga.

I have over 23 years’ experience caring and supporting people with a variety of disabilities. Whilst raising my family, I enjoyed working part time as a carer and developed a passion for care and support services. This led to me attain an SVQ Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care. Working for Beyond Limits over the last 3 years has helped me progress my knowledge and understanding in this line of work. The team support and training they offer is second to none and I really enjoy working for them.

 

Louisa Nairn, Support Worker

A chance encounter led me to Beyond Limits and support work was something I was new to. In my role, I enable the person I support by encouraging and supporting them in everything they wish to achieve. This brings fulfilment, increased independence, self-esteem and happiness – a two-way street!

I have two children, a son and a daughter, and five grandchildren and I had to enlist their help, as well as friends, to find words that describe me as we don’t always see ourselves as others do. Some of the descriptions they used are sporty, animal lover, principled and determined, approachable, trustworthy, calm and caring amongst another compliments for which I am grateful.

I love dancing and one of my grandchildren tells me I’m a “crazy flosser”! I also love music, adventure, the ocean, cooking, gardening, interior design and the odd glass of wine.

Marie Hobson, Support Worker

I have been involved in the care sector ever since leaving school. Originally from Manchester, I completed a GNVQ Advanced in Health and Social Care and then moved to Leeds to study for a degree in Adult Nursing. Sadly, two years into my degree I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and was unable to complete my final year but did proceed to work in several of the Leeds hospitals as a Care Assistant. Whilst recovering, and still in Leeds, I met my husband, Ant. We bought our first house, got married and decided to start a family. I was told by doctors that, because of my cancer treatment, I would only have around a 5% chance of being able to have children and after over a year of trying, I defied the odds and got pregnant with our first daughter, Mia, who has recently turned 14. Four years later I had my second daughter, Amelie.

Six years ago, we came to Lochmaben in Scotland on holiday and instantly fell in love with the place. We decided it would be a much better environment to raise our children and within several months my husband had managed to get a transfer through his work and we relocated to Lochmaben, followed shortly by some more good news that I was pregnant with our third daughter, Matilda (Tilly). For 12 years since Mia was born, I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home Mum and dedicated that time to raising our daughters. Once Tilly had settled into full-time nursery though I decided I was ready to go back to work. That’s when, thanks to my Mum spotting an advertisement for a vacancy in the window of a local shop, I discovered Beyond Limits and I am so glad that I did. I genuinely love my job – caring and supporting others and working with a fantastic team of some of the greatest (and hilarious!) people I’ve had the pleasure to meet. It is such a rewarding job. Having the opportunity to offer tailor made support to the three people I currently work with is a real privilege, helping them to achieve their best life.