Family cheering squad of Mums for rising star caregiver
As Amy Rule continues to move closer to her dream of being named in the Black Ferns rugby team, she knows she has the support of her former workmates who happen to be a couple of ‘mums’ in her life too.
Amy has been back working at Bupa Longwood Care Home in Riverton during the Covid-19 lockdown with her mum Christine Rule as a caregiver, joined by her grandmother Wendy Clark as the care home cleaner, and even her great grandmother Phyllis Bye as a care home resident.
That strong family support has meant the 19-year-old, who was recently nominated for Outstanding Young Sportswoman of the Year 2020 in the Canterbury Sports Awards, has a large cheering squad behind her.
“It’s awesome to have so much support from my mum and family, but it’s also been a bonus to have my family grow overtime with my other workmates becoming my family too. Riverton is a small place so there’s been lots of care home and community support,” Amy says.
Christine Rule says working together, and looking after Phyllis (Christine’s grandmother) who moved into the care home eight years ago, has been second nature to the family.
“We had always worked as a family growing up. Mum and Dad owned a dairy in Riverton for twelve years and everyone had a hand in working together. I guess it was unique to have four generations of one family in the care home,” Christine says.
With Amy’s growing rugby career starting to take off, she moved to Christchurch and was able to continue caregiving, taking up a role at Bupa Bethesda Care Home.
Christine explains her daughter always had a flair for sport, with a call up to a development squad last year and the local sports awards nomination recently.
“When Amy made it into the Black Ferns development squad last year, the family were so very proud. It’s just the start of something big for her and whatever happens we’ll be cheering our old workmate and family on,” Christine says.
