Five years of Vicky proving that empathy is a leadership skill.
Five years as the boss would make most people either run for the hills or develop a permanent eye twitch. Vicky, naturally, chose a third option: roll up her sleeves and raise the bar for everyone.
To mark her five-year anniversary at Kingsway Care, it feels right to reflect on the kind of leadership she brings, not through titles or targets, but through values, people and an unshakeable belief in what good homecare really is.
Leading with heart (and a bit of humour)
Anyone who’s heard Vicky speak knows this straight away: she leads as a human first.
Her Kingsway Care Awards Night speech in December 2025 began with laughter, warmth and a knowing nod to spray tans, yellow outfits and the realities of being part of a close-knit team. That tone matters. It sets the culture. You can take the work seriously without taking yourself too seriously.
That mix of professionalism and humanity runs through everything she does.
We love that Vicky chose to rock a stunning (on brand) yellow frock to the Kingsway Care Awards 2025.
Seeing the emotional reality of care
One of the most powerful themes in Vicky’s speech was her honest recognition of professional bereavement.
In social care, relationships matter. When clients decline or pass away, it is felt deeply by the people who supported them day in, day out. Vicky doesn’t shy away from that reality. She names it, respects it, and reminds the team that feeling loss is not weakness. It is a reflection of care done properly.
Under her leadership, compassion is not something to be hidden or brushed aside. It is understood, supported and valued.
"Our carers leave me speechless. The level of kindness, skill, compassion, and emotional intelligence they bring is exceptional. The emotional load they carry, several times a day, every day, for the client, the family, and their colleagues is more than most people could manage.
And yet, they arrive at every visit with respect and grace, consistently prioritising the client and their loved ones over anything they may be feeling personally."
Raising the status of care, loudly and unapologetically
Vicky is continuously challenging how the care sector is viewed.
She is clear that Kingsway CareGivers are not “assistants” or “workers” as if the role is passive or secondary. They are skilled practitioners. Professionals who observe, advocate, prevent crises, spot deterioration early, and quite literally save lives through what they notice and how they act.
That belief shows up in how Kingsway Care operates: high standards, strong training, clear expectations and deep respect for the role.
This is leadership that refuses to let care be underestimated.
Vicky is our Social Care Champion. Find out why she is calling for funding preventative and early intervention homecare.
A team built on values, not shortcuts
The past few years have been tough across social care. Rising costs, recruitment pressures, system challenges. Vicky doesn’t pretend otherwise. But she is clear on one thing: lowering standards is never the answer.
Kingsway Care has grown significantly, delivering far more care hours than before, but growth has not come at the expense of quality. Being selective about who joins the team is intentional. Kindness, professionalism and the right values matter more than filling gaps quickly.
That clarity takes courage, especially in a stretched sector.
Inclusion that is real, not performative
Vicky’s words to overseas colleagues were especially important.
She acknowledged the current climate honestly and made it clear that they are not just welcomed, but essential. Kingsway Care could not do what it does without them.
That message of belonging is leadership in action. Quietly firm. Unambiguous. Human.
Vicky fights for overseas care workers facing hostile visa restrictions. Listen to her radio interviews.
A belief that age & disability never makes you invisible
At the heart of Vicky’s leadership is a simple but powerful principle: needing care does not mean needing less respect, less joy or less dignity.
That belief runs through Kingsway Care’s culture, from how clients are treated to how CareGivers are supported. It reflects why the organisation exists in the first place and why standards remain so high.
Her story about Biddy, confidently navigating tech at 98, captured this perfectly. Age is not a limitation.
Vicky is currently studying for an MSc in Ageing & Dementia. This is on top of her already busy schedule that includes personally visiting clients as well as leading Kingsway Care forward.
Social Connection is not a “nice to have”
One thing Vicky never compromises on is the importance of human connection. Not just care delivered well, but lives lived well.
That’s why Kingsway Care puts so much time and energy into bringing people together. Client lunches, outings, celebrations, caregiver get-togethers. The planning is rarely simple. The logistics are often… character building. But Vicky will be the first to say it is always worth it.
These moments remind us why care exists in the first place.
When clients come together, they meet people who understand their world. They laugh, swap stories, build friendships, and feel part of something bigger than a care roster. For caregivers, it’s a chance to connect with colleagues, share experiences, and see the people they support outside the structure of visits and tasks.
As Vicky puts it:
It is always SO worth it. Our clients thoroughly enjoy their time together, meeting other Kingsway clients and carers that they don’t usually see. And to see them in real-life situations is just a wonderful reminder that they are not simply a combination of tasks and medication, but real, fabulous, excitable people, who just want to have a beautiful life.
That belief runs through everything Kingsway Care does. Homecare is not just about safety and support. It’s about joy, confidence, belonging, and dignity. And it’s about creating space for people to be themselves, whether they’re receiving care or giving it.
This focus on connection doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because Vicky insists on it. Because she understands that wellbeing grows where relationships do, and that positive care cultures are built on people feeling seen, valued, and included.
It’s leadership that recognises something very simple: humans feel better when they feel connected.
The Kingsway Care Chichester Canal Trip has become a much loved annual event for both CareGivers and Clients.
Five years in, still looking ahead
Vicky ended her speech not by looking back, but by looking ahead.
More great care. Stronger teams. Continued advocacy for the sector. Higher expectations of what community care can and should be.
Five years on, her leadership is defined not by control, but by care. Not by ego, but by belief. And not by shortcuts, but by consistency.
Kingsway Care is stronger because of it. And so is everyone who relies on the care delivered every single day.
Thank you Vicky, for being the boss, MD, leader, and friend with the kindest heart and sharpest mind.
