Some visits stay with you long after they've ended. Not because of grand announcements or big breakthroughs, but because of the people you meet and the stories they share.
Friday 14 August, Nottingham CityCare's Chief Executive, Dr Nicole Atkinson, and Non-Executive Director, Julie Pomeroy, spent time with CityCare's Homeless Health Team following their Partnership and Collaboration award win at this year's Celebrating Success Staff Awards. What they discovered was a team whose impact is measured not only in healthcare outcomes, but in trust, compassion and the life-changing relationships they build every day.
In this blog, Nicole reflects on the visit, the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness and severe multiple disadvantage, and the "sparkling moments" that remind us why our work matters.
This afternoon I joined Julie Pomeroy, one of our Non-Executive Directors, for a visit to our Homeless Health Team at Sherwood Rise Health Centre, following their recent Partnership and Collaboration award win at the CityCare Staff Awards. After spending a few hours with the team, it was easy to see why they were nominated!
The team shared the realities of supporting people experiencing homelessness and severe multiple disadvantage. Their work is about far more than healthcare. It is about building trust, working across organisational boundaries, advocating for people who often struggle to access support, and helping some of the most vulnerable members of our communities navigate incredibly complex circumstances.
What stood out most was the pride they have in the relationships they build.A recent conversation with one of our Neurology team introduced me to the idea of sharing a"sparkling moment"; those moments that remind us why our work matters. The power of this phrase has stayed with me, so I asked the Homeless Health Team what their sparkling moments looked like.
The answers definitely pull a few heartstrings.
A person saying,"I don't engage with anybody, but I trust you." Someone accepting support for the first time. A patient attending an appointment they had previously avoided. A person taking a step towards stable accommodation. Small moments on the surface, but often the beginning of something much bigger.
We also talked openly about the increasing complexity of need, the importance of clear roles and responsibilities across organisations, and how we continue to strengthen partnership working around the people and communities we serve. Throughout the conversation, the focus remained firmly on improving outcomes for people.
I left with an even deeper appreciation of the expertise, compassion and persistence this team brings every day, and I'm already looking forward to taking up their invitation to join an outreach clinic in the future to better understand the lived reality of a typical day.
My biggest takeaway from the afternoon came back to this - sometimes the most important impact starts with a conversation, a trusted relationship and a sparkling moment. From there, bigger change can grow!
Date published: 17 August 2026
