Ridgeway Rise Care Home

Bella has been a Registered Nurse for over 18 years and has an extensive range of qualifications and management experience in the Care Home Sector.

Nursing inspired and developed her innate desire to help and care for people, and as a Care Home Manager Bella is the key communication point for Residents, Families, Staff, fellow professionals and the various agencies involved in care provision.

Contact Bella today and arrange your tour today!

Experience life at Ridgeway Rise for yourself by popping in for a tour: we can arrange a little Afternoon Tea too! Meet our team, take a look around our home, see the surrounding gardens and chat with the residents.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Charlie has been working at Ridgeway Rise for over two years and started off as an Activities Coordinator. She is known for being bubbly, chatty, and a people person. Charlie can often be seen speaking to residents and their families, offering them a hot cup of tea and a smile – she is always happy to help.

Kinga Dabrowska is our Business Administrator. She has a degree in social care and pedagogy and devoted her life to working with the older generation and people living with dementia. Kinga uses her experience to make sure Ridgeway Rise is a care home of choice for new residents and their families. With the support of her passionate colleagues, she organises events and open days to show off the great atmosphere of the Home. Kinga is very active in the community as a member of the Dementia Action Alliance, she also delivers training sessions to local businesses, organises regular community lunches, and events with Swindon Carers Centre and participates in career days at local schools.

Trevor is local to Ridgeway Rise Care Home and has worked in maintenance roles for 28 years, most of this time at Honda as a Maintenance Engineer and more recently as Facilities Manager for Arena Group. He has a keen interest in working at Ridgeway Rise Care Home, not only carrying out the day-to-day maintenance of the building but also meeting and getting to know our residents and contributing to their wellbeing.

Lory is our Head Chef here at Ridgeway Rise Care Home and he has a huge passion for cooking. With his 28 years of experience as a chef including senior positions, Lory enjoys menu planning and challenging himself to meet high satisfaction standards. He used to work in kitchens of large banqueting hotels, restaurants, and care homes worldwide. Lory speaks 8 different languages. Everywhere he goes, Lory invests in developing coaching and mentoring programs for his team.

Lory was a Regional winner of the Great British Care Awards 2023.

Cristian Panaitiu oversees the second floor. He is a dedicated Registered Nurse and Unit Manager. Cristian contributes to the life of Ridgeway Rise as a conscientious coordinator, active daily care assessor, tenacious trainer and fun-loving colleague.

Cristian has many accolades, including Regional Winner Assessor of the Year, Great British Awards 2023 and National Finalist Nurse of the Year Dementia Care Awards 2024.

Andreea Birligea is the face of Ridgeway Rise due to her appearance in many of our marketing materials, including the back of Swindon busses; but her day job is being a Unit Manager. Having plenty of experience as a Registered Nurse and multiple qualifications, she dedicates her time to caring for our residents in Brunel and Blunsdon communities. She is always happy and attentive.

Alina has been a registered nurse since 2014, she joined Ridgeway Rise right at the beginning, of 2019. Alina is a great asset to the team. She recently qualified as a mental health first aider. She is a dysphagia champion and supports the continuity lead. Alina loves working with her team and is always happy to pick up additional shifts, which earned her an award for Ridgeway Rise’s Values Champion as Respectful. Alina is our Mental Health First Aider and Dysphagia Specialist.

Bal has been working as a Senior Carer at Ridgeway Rise Care Home for the past five and a half years, finding great fulfilment in supporting our residents. Alongside this role, she manages her own nightclub business, which brings its own excitement and joy. Bal also took a Nurse Associates course for a year and took a break, with hopes of becoming a nurse in the future. Balancing these passions keeps her motivated and happy.

Lilly joined the team as a kitchen assistant initially but her passion for cooking and baking was so transparent she decided to take on the offer of training as a Chef. Lilly has vast experience working in the kitchen and catering for a bigger number of guests. Lilly loves learning about different cultures and experimenting with dishes. She is a fast-adapting person willing to always do more to meet the resident’s expectations.

Alla is our Activity Coordinator on the 2nd floor and has a Master's degree in music, finishing university as a qualified conductor. Alla is our art expert and is never short of ideas to plan unique craft sessions. Alla is also a piano teacher and has extensive experience in organising events. Alla has a great passion for entertaining residents and making their lives enriched and enjoyable with lots of soulful activities.

Colin retired from Sainsbury’s, ending his 30-year career in the bakery, eventually as a bakery manager. At the age of 52, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. His recovery from a very hard battle, disqualifying him from many aspects of life, made him realise he was not ready to retire yet. He always loved working with people and his new role, as an activity coordinator, is his way of giving back, supporting others and enjoying life. He loves history and offers the residents lots of talks on notorious characters, not by reading facts from the book but by dressing as that person. Colin is the regional winner of the Great British Care Awards 2023.

Joao is a dedicated Housekeeping Manager bringing his experience in maintaining high standards of cleanliness, organisation and safety at Ridgeway Rise. Known for his attention to detail and commitment to excellence. Joao always has time for a little chat with the residents and never says ‘no’ to an invitation to our afternoon activities.

Dagna is a student at one of our local colleges and our weekend receptionist. She has great interpersonal skills and a very bubbly personality, which works great in bridging the generation gap between her and the residents. Despite the age difference, they have a great connection through art. Together with residents, she created a Dementia Project which was presented at the Swindon Art Site. Her work with the residents led her to win a regional award for Dementia Care Home worker 2024 and to the final of Dementia Care Awards in the Multigenerational Activities category.

Alina Roman has been a registered nurse supporting the residents at Ridgeway Rise since 2019. Alina has a very good eye for details, and she is also a Mental Health First Aider. Recently, Alina completed a Dysphagia course, joining the highly qualified team of specialists at our Home.

Ezekiel is the calm and dependable presence our residents and team members turn to for guidance and support. He has the most years of experience on our team, so he serves as a mentor to new staff, sharing his vast knowledge and expertise. His caring and kind nature ensures that everyone feels supported, valued, and well cared for.

Dorothy is a dedicated and compassionate nurse who provides exceptional care to our residents during the night. Her commitment to excellence has earned her recognition as a finalist in the National Care Awards in 2025, in two categories: The Excellence in Palliative Care Nursing Award and The Exceptional Care Home Nurse Award under the Stars of Social Care.

Maria is a highly skilled and experienced nurse who plays a vital role in supporting our junior nurses. She is responsible and dependable, ensuring that our residents receive the best care possible. With years of expertise, she helps create a positive experience for those in our home. Her kind and compassionate nature makes residents feel like their individual needs are being catered to at the highest degree.

Peace is a determined and ambitious nurse who began her journey at Ridgeway Rise as a care assistant. Through dedication and hard work, she has grown into one of the exceptional nurses on our team. Nurtured by her colleagues, she has continually expanded her knowledge and skills, providing compassionate and high-quality care to our residents.

Shanty is a highly skilled night nurse with strong clinical expertise. She plays a key role in infection control during night shifts and is also a trained first aider. Dedicated and knowledgeable, she ensures the highest standards of care and safety for our residents throughout the night.

DD is a compassionate and hardworking healthcare assistant supporting the residents on the second floor. He is known for his wide smile, which he offers to everyone. He has been supporting adults in care since 2019, during which time he has built a strong bond with his colleagues, families, and residents at Ridgeway Rise.

Maryam is the Activities Coordinator at Ridgeway Rise Care Home, where she brings energy, creativity, and warmth to every event and interaction. With a strong background in customer service and a genuine passion for enriching the lives of residents, Maryam plays a key role in creating a vibrant and inclusive community within the home. She is especially known for her ability to plan and deliver large-scale events that bring joy and connection to residents, families, and staff alike. Whether it’s a themed celebration, a community day, or a wellness workshop, her attention to detail and enthusiasm shine through.