Marion Rugless-Reid, affectionately known as Maz, has just celebrated 25 years working within our housekeeping team here at Inglewood. Characterful domestic assistant Maz is a huge personality, respected for her efficiency, humour and compassion – quite literally the wind beneath Inglewood’s wings!
Maz arrived at our home in October 1999. A former printer, she had spent several years working in a binding and finishing factory in Southampton, but moved with her husband and son to Eastbourne and started working at nearby Berk Pharmaceuticals (now part of Teva UK Limited). There, Maz was a key member of the packaging and quality control team, counting and processing tablets. The couple shared the care of their son, with Maz working the night shift and her husband working (also at Berk) during the day. When their son was five years old, Maz was made redundant and so came to Inglewood in a complete change of career.
For the first year she worked as a cleaner in the housekeeping team, then she took over the role of laundress when this became vacant and has stayed ever since.
Maz loves her job. She has a keen sense of pride in ensuring that residents’ clothes are returned to them in pristine condition, and recognizes (without looking at any name labels) which item belongs to which resident, even down to socks and underwear! In any care home laundry goes missing, but there are no complaints at Inglewood. Even if things are temporarily misplaced, Maz finds and identifies them immediately.
“I don’t know how she does it, given the huge number of items that pass through the laundry,” marvels home manager Rani Raju.
Despite her own heavy workload, Maz frequently helps her housekeeping colleagues with cleaning if they are busy or covers staff sickness/holidays. And, having been trained in moving and assistance, Maz uses the hoist and other equipment to help the carers. She also supports colleagues by delivering residents’ breakfast trays, tidying in the kitchen and taking in deliveries. She loves to greet and provide refreshments for visitors, too.
“She is everywhere, helping everyone!” says Rani. “She certainly goes above and beyond to help colleagues throughout the home,” agrees Pam Gillard, the home’s administrator.
Maz is a strong believer in teamwork. “It’s hard to stand by and watch others if they clearly need a hand,” she says. “When you’re part of a team, you get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and you develop a close bond. That’s really important when it comes to helping residents, which is why we are all here!”
Maz builds close relationships with residents’ families, and they all ask about her when they visit. She is well known for her sense of humour, too, and frequently makes residents and colleagues laugh.
Possessing oodles of confidence, Marion is often a spokesperson for others. She speaks her mind to anyone, including the chief executive, who welcomes her frankness and appreciates her sense of humour and suggestions for improvement. “If there is a problem, I believe in trying to find a solution,” she says.
Away from work Maz loves to cycle and spends time with her partner Nigel and son Ryan, now aged 30, and his partner. Maz also enjoys playing bingo, and always looks forward to her annual holiday abroad.
At her anniversary celebration Maz was presented with a trophy by Rani, and inundated with flowers, cake and good wishes by colleagues, residents, and families.
She says: “I was overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness and the sheer effort that went into making the event special for me. I can’t believe that I have worked here at Inglewood for 25 years – the time has gone by so fast!”
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