Speaker: Amelia Phillips
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background?
Amelia Phillips : Hi, I'm Amelia. I'm 52. I'm English, but I live in Bulgaria where I have a small farm and 11 rescue dogs and some cats, ducks, chickens, that kind of thing. Um, I've been with unique for nine months now as a living carer.
How long have you been working as a carer and what motivated you to become a carer?
Amelia Phillips : I've been a carer now for 26 years, and I think it's fair to say I came into it almost by accident. I thought it would be something I could manage. When I was recently divorced and had a daughter to take care of, that I could do around my commitments to my daughter. So around school hours and that sort of thing, and I quickly realised that being a carer isn't a job. It's a vocation, and it's absolutely the right thing for me to do, and I don't want to do anything else ever. I love being able to support people.
What hobbies and interests do you have?
Amelia Phillips : I'm a little outdoor soul, so I like to spend time riding my horses, and I've just started to do horseback archery. I'm a qualified herbalist, so I'm often found wandering around our land picking plants that will then be turned. I'll turn them into foraged foods or herbal remedies, and I love to learn things I have to learn all the time. There's always something on the go. My current thing is, I'm learning Korean language. I'm a tiny bit obsessed with all things South Korean, be it K pop, K dramas, Korean food, Korean culture. Um, I've been learning the language now for about 18 months, and I'm saving up to return for my second trip to Korea next year.
