Poet Robert Ilson is so pleased with the care he receives from the home care team at Walfinch Hampstead and Camden that he has written a poem, titled CREDO, about it - and won first prize in Walfinch’s poetry competition.
 
Robert says: "I am delighted at CREDO's success." Robert is a lexicographer  who is skilled in the study of words, and a compiler of dictionaries. He has been Poet Laureate of Budgens Belsize Park, is Poet Laureate of the Belsize Community Library and regularly has his poems published in the Hampstead and Highgate Express.
 
Now he has written a touching poem to celebrate the care delivered by his Walfinch carers.
 
CREDO
 
It isn't just the shopping, cooking, cleaning
That makes our clients happy : it's the smile
Our carers really mean that can beguile
The downcast into feeling better - weaning
Them gently back into full adultness
From cozy infancy that seems so good
- Provided there's no trial to be withstood -
To taking proper pride in their success.
But don't think that is all mere airy-fairy
There's hard work to be done to dress them well
To deal with all their needs in parallel,
To keep them mobile - even the unwary -
To treat each like you : a body housing a mind.
Maybe Holistic's another name for Kind.
 
Robert Ilson
 
 
Daniela Miteva, Office Manager and Recruitment at Walfinch Hampstead and Camden, says: "Robert has written this beautiful poem reflecting his experiences and feelings about the care he receives, and we are delighted to share it. Everyone in the team at Walfinch Hampstead and Camden is thrilled to be so appreciated."
 
Steve Elliott, Owner and Registered Manager of Walfinch Hampstead and Camden, congratulated Robert on hi win, adding: " At Walfinch Hampstead and Camden, we provide person-centred care, which allows us to discover and embrace the unique individual skills and preferences of each of our clients.
 
"We take pride in recognising and nurturing their talents and interests. We are thrilled to celebrate Robert's remarkable lifelong gift for writing, and his first prize win in this competition is a victory for all of us." 
 
Walfinch home care has over 30 offices across the country. Walfinch Chief Executive Amrit Dhaliwal says: "We decided to run a poetry competition for all our clients and carers, because we knew that there was some awesome talent among them. Robert's poem demonstrates that, and better still, it celebrates our kind and skilled carers. I'm delighted to award him first prize!