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Zoe Evans' path to Blaenos House Nursing Home is unlike most. It winds through Manchester concert venues, Greek casinos and the open ocean - before arriving in the heart of a small nursing home in rural Wales.
Before joining Blaenos House, Zoe built a career that took her around the world. She started out doing lighting and sound at a Manchester music venue, crossing paths with Take That, Boyzone and East 17 long before they became household names. The travel bug soon hit, and she trained as a croupier, joining the set-up team for the first hotel casino in Greece before heading to sea with the cruise industry. There she met her husband, and eventually rose to Casino Finance Manager - a role that took her across the globe and threw her into situations most people could barely imagine, from rescuing a stranded yacht crew to keeping Pirate Watch sailing through the Indian Ocean.
When she and her husband came ashore to start a family, Zoe moved into banking, specialising in high-value client accounts. Then, in early 2020, a breast cancer diagnosis changed everything.
Watching NHS staff work tirelessly through those gruelling early months of the pandemic left a deep impression. Once she had recovered, Zoe wanted to give something back. She took a role with Hywel Dda Health Board arranging tests and bloodwork for cancer patients, and found in it a sense of purpose she hadn't encountered in any of her previous careers. It was that feeling - of genuinely making a difference in someone's day - that set her on a new course toward care.
Coming across the Administrator vacancy at Blaenos House, she researched Ashberry Healthcare and decided to apply. She still remembers driving down to the home for the first time, struck by how beautifully kept it was - and then, sitting in reception before her interview, watching a carer deliver lunch to a resident in their room.
"That's when it struck me," Zoe says. "Everything was put in place with the residents as the focus. It's their home, their private space, their wishes catered for."
Two interviews later, she had the job.
Her finance background proved valuable from day one. She quickly got to grips with the fee structures of local authorities and health boards, wrote and implemented financial procedures and audits, and created key inventories to help protect residents, staff, and the home itself. What surprised her most, though, was just how varied the role turned out to be. Far from a desk-bound position, it placed her at the heart of the home - involved in every aspect of daily life. She has stepped in to help at mealtimes and even taken over the kitchen when the home was short-staffed. At Blaenos House, the residents always come first, and everyone plays their part in making that happen.
In July 2024, Zoe was promoted to Regional Administrator - a reflection of her ability to look at a process, rethink it and make it work better for everyone. At the start of 2025, her title moved to Senior Administrator, recognising the continued evolution of her role. She now visits homes across the Ashberry group, delivering training and support to administrators on-site and via Teams, and collaborating on wider projects with the head office team.
Perhaps the most telling measure of Zoe's impact comes from the people she works alongside every day. When asked to describe her, administrators across the Ashberry group didn't hold back. Steph at Broomy Hill called her inspiring, supportive and invaluable. Rosemary at Moorhouse described her as approachable, helpful and knowledgeable. Etty at Brockworth House echoed those sentiments, adding that Zoe's knowledge is truly in a league of its own. Michelle at The Weir was characteristically to the point - efficient, and a great teacher.
For Zoe, the moments that stay with her have nothing to do with processes or procedures. She recalls one show round with two daughters considering Blaenos House for their loved one - a busy day, with a singer performing in the day room, carers dancing alongside residents, and the chef laying out a beautiful lunch. At the end of the visit, the daughters said they couldn't believe how warm and welcoming it was. That it simply didn't feel like a standard care home.
"That was just a regular day at Blaenos House," Zoe says. "In my eyes it highlighted the superior level of daily care we give to our residents normally. It made me so proud."
Outside of work, Zoe is a devoted cook and baker - she won the last Blaenos House bake-off with her lemon and lime cheesecake - and a passionate country music fan with a signed Keith Urban guitar taking pride of place in her living room.
Ask her to sum up what brought her here, and she doesn't hesitate.
"My journey into care has been a pathway to the most fulfilling and rewarding career that was always destined to be."
If Zoe's story has resonated with you, perhaps a career in care is closer than you think.
Whether you are just starting out or looking for a new direction, Ashberry Healthcare offers real opportunities to grow, develop and make a genuine difference in people's lives every day.
Explore our current vacancies and take the first step towards a career with purpose.
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