Helen Carter has joined Bridgwater’s Avalon Nursing Home as deputy manager to work alongside manager Tamsin Forde for the second time, on this occasion as her deputy.

The pair have reunited with delight, having already established what a good team they make when they previously worked together for 18 months post-Covid. 

Tamsin Forde said: “When we were looking to recruit for the deputy role at Avalon, I immediately thought of Helen. I knew she’d be a great addition to our team, and I was right: our colleagues and the residents all love her.” 

Helen Carter qualified as a registered nurse in 2007, starting her career in the A&E department at Musgrove Park Hospital then practising on a variety of wards, including surgical and rehab, before transferring to GP surgery work and eventually moving to private nursing work for an events organisation.

Helen said: “My mum was a nurse and for as long as I can remember I wanted to care for people as she did.

“I’ve enjoyed my previous roles, but there is something very special about working in a residential home where you can develop a long-term relationship with the people you support.

“Of all the settings I’ve ever worked in, Avalon feels like coming home. My responsibilities here play to all my strengths and allow me to share the skills and experience I’ve accumulated during my working life.

“We are able to offer a holistic approach to caring for our residents, many of whom are vulnerable people with a variety of health conditions in addition to dementia.

“My role entails carrying out assessments in the community, advocating for our residents, and devising personalised care plans. 

“I’m also supporting our nurses and carers to provide the best possible care, and I believe that looking after colleagues’ morale and ensuring a pleasant working environment is a vital part of that.”

Mum-of-two Helen lives in Trull and outside work she values spending quality time with her family and looking after her two-year-old Irish sports horse, Contessa, who she hopes to ride competitively in due course.

During her earlier career, when she was providing nursing cover at private events, Helen was involved with equine festivals such as the international horse trials at Blenheim Palace and the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she met the late Queen Elizabeth several times.

Avalon Nursing Home is run by award-winning dementia care specialists Camelot Care who also run homes in Plymouth, Wellington and Yeovil.