24/04/2026
2026 is a year of change here in Upstreet. We are totally committed to taking decisions as a community, rather than using a traditional (and outdated) top-down approach.
The new carpet for Artichoak Cottage lounge (chosen by the clients who currently call Artichoak Cottage home) has arrived; next stop will be choosing the new curtains, wall colours, whether or not to have panelling like in Elizabeth House lounge, and also new upholstery fabrics for the chairs. One thing at a time...
This week, however, we have been busy agreeing on an updated company logo and literally everyone here has had their say. There's something ironic about the fact that the new logo is really not that different from the old one - I guess if something isn't broken... 😉
All will be revealed soon.
The next decision we will make is about uniform. We have ummmed and aahed about whether to even have a staff uniform, but the clients have voted (several times) as a majority that we should.
The main argument raised was that it makes it easier to know exactly who to ask for help, should they need it.
The counter-argument is that an obvious uniform can make staff stand out when supporting clients out in the community, so we need to strike a balance between looking smart enough to represent our community, but also respect the opinion of the people we support who feel strongly that they don't want to look like they're "out with a carer."
Obviously uniform also has to be comfortable for the team to wear, easy to clean, not too hot or too cold... so many things to think about.
If you have any thoughts about any of the above, or you have any advice for us, we would love to hear it. Collaborative decision making is definitely the way forward 💪
