Doris Adeyinka was a much-loved friend and colleague during her four years working at Riverside’s supported housing services Blackmore House, The Boundaries and Lucas Court in Essex.

The mum-of-two from London, who also worked in Riverside’s retirement living services previously, enjoyed the flexibility of relief work and bypassed several opportunities to apply for permanent posts.

Sadly Doris passed away in January (2021) from the coronavirus, aged 62. She had some health issues including chronic asthma so as a precaution shielded during lockdown and had not been on site since March 2020, working from home instead.

During this time she continued to work hard by supporting residents and carried out virtual wellbeing checks with them, remaining an active part of the team throughout.

Paying tribute, her manager Lorraine Street said: “Doris was a well-loved colleague and friend, and is hugely missed by everyone. She was always ready with a laugh, reliable, flexible with her time and willingness to work with others to ensure the needs of the service were met.

“Doris had a genuine desire to help and support people and because of this our customers trusted her. She was always calm, willing to help and listen and ready with a smile if a smile was needed. As her manager, I never had to worry when Doris was lone working because she had the experience, resilience and confidence to manage whatever came her way and the intelligence to ask questions when that was needed too.

“Her daughters Irene and Annabel were her pride and joy. She loved to help people and was everybody’s agony aunt. She really is missed by all of us.”

As published in Inside Housing.