June and July Mirus Moments Winners

A Mirus Moment is when someone has done something special.

People supported by Mirus, and Mirus staff can nominate each other to be in with a chance of winning a £20 Love2Shop voucher.

You can nominate online at this link: bit.ly/mirusmoments

Louise G, supported by Mirus in Neath Port Talbot

Responsible

Since January, Louise has lived in her own home after moving from Geraint House. She has recently applied for a job as a receptionist after completing her accounting courses. Louise has also started volunteering at the food bank, wanting to help others. She has built strong friendships with her former housemates at Geraint House and supports them in reaching their goals. 

Laurence J, supported by Mirus in Swansea

Courageous 

During Covid, Laurence didn’t leave the house. If he did, he only went out in the car. This led to Laurence staying at home for nearly three years. The support staff have helped Laurence take small steps to rejoin the community and have been very successful. Laurence has been attending Mirus events and recently visited Plantasia. Laurence also visited the fire station to see the fire engines and firefighters. The sky is the limit for Laurence now, and we are excited to see what he does next. 

Seren WA, supported by Mirus in Ystradgynlais

Together

Seren has started volunteering at the local food bank to support her community. She really enjoys being around others and wants to give back. This is a big achievement for Seren because she is non-verbal. 

Debra Hornsby, Mirus staff member in Brecon

Together 

I’ve always looked up to Deb and enjoyed her company. She makes me feel confident and cared for. Deb is a very special person and is always there for me when I need her. She makes me laugh and smile, brightening my day whenever she’s around. I really appreciate her support. Deb is planning to take me on holiday soon, and I’m really excited about it. I know we’ll have lots of fun together. I can’t wait to show her around Blackpool, and I’m sure she’ll love it as much as I do. Deb truly deserves this award because she needs to know how special she is. 

Rachel Stinchcombe, staff member in Central Services  

Empowering

Rachel has played a key role in helping Adam and Alex get paid jobs at Mirus. Her passion and determination have made this possible, and she has made the experience very positive. She always pays attention to their needs, even the small ones. Working with Rachel on this pilot project has been a pleasure, and I hope Mirus keeps employing the people we support. 

Adrian Smith, staff member in Cardiff

Responsible

Adrian supported GP on a holiday to Jersey. At the end of the holiday, their flight home was cancelled, but Adrian handled it well. He booked a hotel for the night and organised flights for the next day. GP’s family emailed asking if Adrian could be recognised for his efforts. GP’s family said: “We know that Adrian did everything to make sure Gary got home safe. It would be good to know if Adrian could receive the recognition he deserves.” GP told us how much he enjoyed the trip and appreciated Adrian’s support. He enjoyed seeing all the sights and visiting many places. He has already asked that Adrian support him on his next holiday. 

Lorna J, supported by Mirus in Ystradgynlais

Courageous

Lorna has shown fantastic bravery during her blood tests, despite not liking to be touched. We have worked closely with nurses and our Positive Behavioural Management (PBM) trainer to help Lorna become more comfortable with touch. This has been a challenge for many years, but we have reached a point where she can now tolerate blood tests with the PBM trainers holding her without getting upset. 

Mackenzie F, supported by Mirus in Cardiff

Responsible 

Mackenzie has shown amazing progress in becoming more independent. He has started looking after his own medication and managing his own money. Recently, he has also been looking for employment. Mackenzie has completed his safeguarding training, passed, and is now an official volunteer for Cardiff Council.  

Ross S, supported by Mirus in Swansea

Together

In July, we arranged a feedback event for the people we support to give their opinions on reducing restrictive practices. People from Swansea Bay University Health Board attended to ask questions and gather feedback to help them create a training course. Ross was fabulous throughout the event and really brought everyone together. He broke the ice at the start with his jokes, which helped everyone to feel more comfortable. This helped everyone to be confident in sharing their views and giving feedback. Ross spoke up well and clearly and encouraged others to do the same.

Lisa Nihan, Mirus staff member in Central Services

Together 

Lisa goes above and beyond for her colleagues. She is a team player and is always willing to help anyone who needs it. She doesn’t wait to be asked; if she hears that someone is struggling or that there is a big task to be done, she volunteers straight away. A recent example of this is when she heard that the first payday for staff using the People Planner was scheduled for a Friday, which is her day off. She offered to swap her days to come in and help with the pay queries. Lisa has worked for Mirus for 28 years and has shown her commitment and dedication to the company throughout this time. I believe she truly deserves a Mirus Moment. 

Mark Griffiths, staff member in Cardiff

Together

Mark is a great member of staff and a wonderful person! He has given me a lift when my car has had problems. He always checks if I need anything during the journeys and goes the extra mile to make sure I’m comfortable. I met Mark on my second day at Mirus, and he immediately made me feel relaxed. He told me about the organisation and how great and friendly the staff are. Mark also leads the Cardiff social group and regularly thinks of new activities for them. During one of our car trips, Mark stopped and bought outdoor games for the social group to use in the summer. He really took the time to find out what everyone would like, enjoy, and use. Everyone loves Mark, and his kindness makes him a valued staff member. I believe the world would be a better place if everyone were like Mark. Keep being you, Mark! :) 

Erica Foley, staff member in Ystradgynlais

Responsible

Erica has recently joined Mirus and is working with a young lady with epilepsy. The person supported uses a wheelchair and needs help with all aspects of personal care. Erica has been researching new places and activities to take her to that have disability beds, so personal care can be done while out in the community. This way, the person supported can go out for longer and visit more places without the support staff having to worry about meeting her personal care needs. 

A Mirus Moment is when someone has done something extra special.  

We love to celebrate when someone has done something great, that shows they really believe in our values; Together, Respectful, Responsible, Empowering and Courageous.

Winners are chosen by our Mirus Reps, who are supported by Mirus and advocate for others.

Our Mirus Moment winners receive a £20 Love2Shop voucher, and we share their name, the area they live or work in, and the reason they were nominated online.

You can nominate Mirus staff or people supported by Mirus online at this link: bit.ly/mirusmoments

Watch our video to find out more about Mirus Moments: