September 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

As we’re having a little break to prepare for our Mirus Stars Awards, we have doubled the amount of winners for September.

Why were they nominated?

Jamie G, supported by Mirus in Brecon

Courageous

Jamie has started his course at Brecon College. On the first day, he wanted to go in by himself and face the challenge without help. This showed a lot of courage, and he’s really enjoying college so far. 

Mark J, supported by Mirus in Gwent

Courageous

Mark attended a social event organised by an external company. He managed to walk around for 5 minutes on his first attempt – 5 minutes more than he’d done before. He walked around the community centre and interacted with a few people. Hopefully, he’ll be able to stay a little longer each time he goes.  

Craig H, supported by Mirus in Bridgend

Courageous 

Craig has always found communication difficult, but over the past year, he has overcome this challenge. He has joined People’s First Bridgend to help train the Police on how to communicate with and support people with autism, learning difficulties, and communication challenges. By pushing past these barriers, which once limited what he could do, Craig has gained more confidence. 

Rhodri J, supported by Mirus in Bridgend

Courageous

Rhodri has been part of the local Men’s Shed group for a couple of years and has built some great friendships with the other members. Recently, he took part in their calendar shoot and went to Saundersfoot with them, where he dressed as a pirate, boarded a real pirate ship, and featured in their promotional video! Although Rhodri can seem quite shy, I am very proud of him and all he has achieved! 

Hannah J, supported by Mirus in Neath Port Talbot

Courageous

Hannah moved into her new home in March, which was a huge step towards independence. At the beginning, she felt quite overwhelmed but since then has started taking responsibility for her tenancy by making sure her bills are paid on time and following tenancy rules. Hannah is continuing to work with staff to achieve her goal of moving into her own flat. 

Sarah W, supported by Mirus in Neath Port Talbot

Empowering

Sarah recently joined Mirus and has shown remarkable courage by opening up about her mental health struggles. One of her long-term goals is to share her story to inspire others with similar experiences. In early September, Sarah told her support staff that it was World Suicide Prevention Day and wanted to do something meaningful to raise awareness and offer hope. That same day, Sarah and her support staff shared her story on the Mirus Facebook group. 

She continues to be an example of strength and determination, inspiring not only fellow mental health sufferers but everyone around her. While she finds it hard to feel proud of herself, she’s comforted knowing her new team is incredibly proud and supports her one day at a time.  

Sarah continues to empower others daily, achieving her goals and learning new independence skills with the aim of living on her own one day. She makes her support staff, family, and most importantly herself, proud each day, and her team couldn’t be happier for her. Keep going, Sarah!

Youness Ed-Dahbi, Mirus staff member in Cardiff

Empowering

Gareth, who is a person supported in Cardiff, has always been hesitant to go swimming and nervous around pools, with his family unable to encourage him to swim. However, during a four-day trip to Butlins, Youness supported and empowered Gareth to get into the swimming pool. After his first experience, Gareth went swimming two more times while on holiday. Youness is now helping Gareth find places to continue swimming. This is a fantastic achievement and a significant milestone for Gareth. 

Jane Thomas, Mirus staff member in Bridgend

Together

Jane has created a positive environment where everyone feels supported, included, and part of the community. She encourages us to recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses, promoting a strong team spirit and ensuring we help one another when needed. Jane has built excellent relationships within the locality, which creates opportunities for those we support to try new things in different settings. Her positivity inspires others, and I’m proud to be part of her team. 

Madeline Cornelius, Mirus staff member in Swansea

Responsible

I am nominating this person for their exceptional commitment and responsibility in their support work. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. What sets them apart is their proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues before they escalate, always offering solutions with minimal supervision. They have proven to be incredibly reliable, serving as a go-to person for both team members and clients, often stepping in to help others in difficult situations. Their ability to manage multiple responsibilities while maintaining a positive attitude has significantly contributed to the team’s success. 

Kelly Scott, Mirus staff member in Brecon

Empowering

Kelly’s dedication and hard work have had a significant impact on the people she supports. With high energy and passion, she has built strong relationships with both the person she supports and her team, helping them feel valued and empowered. Her compassionate approach instils confidence and independence in those around her. 

Through her commitment, Kelly makes a real difference in the lives of the people in her care, supporting them to live more independently and confidently. She consistently approaches her role to a high standard, leads by example at home, and goes above and beyond to ensure 100% compliance. 

Kelly brings a smile and positive energy each day, creating an upbeat yet professional atmosphere within the service. She sets a high standard for her team, especially regarding thoroughness in all aspects of her work. This has inspired others to maintain high standards of compliance and encourages them to be courageous in their roles, following Kelly’s lead. As a result, she has created a positive team culture. 

Samantha Pennells, Mirus staff member in Gwent

Together

During the block induction for new staff, Sam was very kind, thoughtful, and supportive to the group. Her approach helped others feel more confident, which brought the group closer together as colleagues and allowed them to form new working relationships moving forward. 

Amy Crockett, Mirus staff member in Ystradgynlais 

Empowering

Amy has gone above and beyond in arranging a holiday to Florida for the person she supports. CJ decided he wanted to go to Florida last year, and Amy helped him save for and book the trip. At the last minute, a staff member who was supposed to support CJ on his holiday had to pull out. Amy quickly met with the director of services and the travel agent to find another way for CJ to be supported. She dedicated a lot of time to sorting everything out and ultimately secured this once-in-a-lifetime trip to Florida for CJ. 

Special mentions go to these incredible staff teams who also received nominations

Cornerways, Brecon

The Cornerways staff team has been vital in helping the person they support thrive in his community. He loves taking part in sensory-led, person-centred activities, but new experiences can be challenging. To help him enjoy each activity, the staff must remain consistent in their upbeat, motivational, and energetic approach before, during, and after every activity, maintaining this energy for the full 16-hour day to prevent challenges from affecting his experience. 

The team shows incredible adaptability daily, delivering high-quality support. They take courageous, positive risks, working with great detail to overcome challenges and turn opportunities into successes. Their shared passion for being courageous has helped the person we support they support live a fulfilling life. 

Without the team’s constant positivity, willingness to take positive risks, and dedication to achieving daily goals, the person they support wouldn’t have reached his current achievements. Thanks to them, he has become a positive, confident, outgoing, and very happy young man. 

Horner Street, Gwent

The team worked exceptionally well to support and care for E while he was seriously ill in hospital and to help him begin his recovery once he returned home. Sarah and the team were flexible, caring, and positive, collaborating with us as E’s parents during this incredibly tough time to ensure that his best interests were always at the centre of his care. We are very grateful for their hard work throughout this challenging situation—they are true Mirus Stars. 

Tir Y Birth, Gwent

During a challenging time when one of the people we support was hospitalised, the staff team worked incredibly hard to ensure both people we support received the necessary support. Shifts had to be changed at short notice, and staff completed long hours in the hospital to provide the best care. The Tir y Berth staff united during this difficult period, making sure all shifts were covered so both people we support had familiar faces around them. They went above and beyond for both people supported. As a team, they are highly valued and should be very proud of their efforts. They have done an amazing job ensuring both people we support continued to receive the best support possible.

Heol Ty Wyth, Bridgend

The team has demonstrated incredible resilience while working together to support a person with Lewy Body Dementia through some very challenging times. They’ve shown great respect for one another as well as the person they care for, always striving to provide her with the best quality of life possible. 

What is a Mirus Moment?

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: