Last week, colleagues from various roles within the Trust came together to test out a newly designed Welcome Event that will be given to all new starters at CHFT from February 2026.

Our Organisational Development (OD) Team have worked to update the current event to ensure it is informative, accessible and engaging for our new starters. The session last week was a road test to hear what current employees thought of the welcome event, and if there were any final improvements that could be made. 

Topics covered included One Culture of Care, #TeamCHFT, a get-to-know-each-other bingo and a Jenga challenge. All designed to educate and create an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere.

Colleagues who participated included:

• Clinical Educators, Arley Byrne and Nicola Cocking
• Advanced Practitioner, Colette Cotterill
• Principal Speech and Language Therapist, Lisi Czira
• Senior Clinical Nurse Educator, Kim Sisson-Pell
• Project Manager, James Greenwood
• Prehabilitation Support Worker, Nicole Clarke
• Communications Officer, Megan Litjens

The session was run by OD Practitioner, Lee Anderson, who said: "As a team, we’ve been listening to colleagues, experienced and new, across the Trust for what would be supportive for their very first few hours and steps here at CHFT. Your voices have helped us to create and shape a welcome that we believe is warm, energetic, and helpful… a true representation of the community feel and spirit of working here."

Lisi said: "I felt very valued being included as I was able to offer guidance from a community perspective."

James said: "It has been really good to see such a diverse group of colleagues coming together to ensure that we're embedding One Culture of Care from day one."