Newtonian Samantha Cottam has shown that hard work and dedication in caring for others pays off with her recent appointment as Manager of Aycliffe Care Home.
She was born and raised in Newton Aycliffe, attending St Mary’s Primary School and Greenfield Comprehensive, qualifying as a nurse in 2009.
Samantha spent 4 years working as a nurse across a variety of private healthcare settings including independent hospitals, specialising in patients with learning disabilities and brain injury.
Samantha is well known as a singer starting with John Melvin and a group of girls from Greenfield School working semi-professionally in pubs and clubs in the north east of England.
Her singing helped fund college and university. She later worked as a duo with Cassie Bowtell and then another girl from the town Samantha McGarrigle called “SAS” (Sam and Sam).
More recently she has performed as a soloist to fit around her nursing / manager commitments. However, being a mum of 3 boys and managing a nursing home, the singing has finally come to an end.
She began Care Home work, promoted to Deputy Manager and then became Registered Manager in 2015 before working as an Area Manager over a group of homes.
Samantha was employed by Aycliffe Care Home in April, attracted to working in the town to get a better home / work life balance.
She was impressed by the Aycliffe Care Home which is beautiful and well maintained with a kind and dedicated staff. Her focus will be to continue on the home’s current success (rated Good across the board with CQC) and strive to open up new opportunities for both residents and staff.
The home has already built relationships with Horndale Infant School close by and are in the process of implanting “reading days” where residents of Aycliffe Care Home will attend Horndale to help the children with their reading.
Our next aim is to run an After School Club for children to come and join in with an arts and crafts session with our residents once a week.
Sam invites anyone, looking to place a loved one, to view the home and drop in any time or ring 01325 307 262
Email: aycliffe@akaricare.co.uk
Pictured: Samantha with resident Jean Hedley
