An Alness carer is being hailed as a local hero for her work during the pandemic.
Rachel Howells, who works as a care practitioner for Highland Home Carers, is said to have gone “above and beyond” during the past 16 months.
The mother-of-one only entered the care sector as the pandemic set in.
But she soon found herself caring for some of the most vulnerable and at risk in society.
‘It was the deep, deep end’
Miss Howells said: “I was just learning my role.
“We were dealing with the biggest global threat we have ever had.
“Nobody knew what Covid was or how it spread – so really it was the deep, deep end.”
Highland MSP Edward Mountain has nominated the 36-year-old for a local hero award, which will be awarded at the Scottish Parliament’s opening ceremony in October.
In particular, the Alness woman has received praise for staying by the bedside of one elderly patient, as her family were unable to visit after contracting Covid-19.
Sadly, the elderly woman later died.
‘I felt it was the right thing to do’
Miss Howells said: “I just felt that I had to sit with her through the night until an ambulance came.
“For me, I didn’t want her to be on her own.
“I would never want my mum to be sat in bed all on her own, so I just put myself in the shoes of her family.
“I felt that was the right thing to do.”
Finding a calling in social care
She said: “I am very proud to be nominated for this award.
“I’ll never look back. Social care is definitely for me – I just wish I had listened to my mum sooner.
“You build a bond with people and you get to know them and know their daily routine.
“I do feel proud and lucky to be doing the job I am doing, especially over the last year and a half.”
Local heroes to be celebrated in Holyrood
Each parliamentary term, all 129 MSPs are invited to nominate a local hero.
Local heroes will attend parliament in October, either physically or virtually, where their achievements will be celebrated.
Mr Mountain said choosing one person was incredibly difficult as so many put in a “heroic effort” during the pandemic.
Although singling out Miss Howells for her “tremendous” work, Mr Mountain has commended the work of all Highland Home Carers staff.
He said: “At a time when Covid-19 hit the Highlands particularly badly, Rachel continuously picked up additional work to help ensure that elderly and vulnerable people continued to receive the care and support that they required.
“Highland Home Carers is one of the most respected providers of social care in the region and is an outstanding example of an employee-owned company.
“I admire their continuing efforts to invest in their staff and develop new ways to improve the care and wellbeing of those they look after, whether that’s going the extra mile or pressing for a more person-centred model of social care.”
‘Rachel is an absolute credit to herself’
Campbell Mair, managing director of Highland Home Carers, said: “What a wonderful honour this is.
“Rachel is an absolute credit to herself, to our organisation, and to care practitioners across Highland.”