When Covid-19 struck, 27-year-old care home nurse Skye Williams did not hesitate.

Seeing residents and colleagues fall ill with the disease, the Gracewell of Salisbury member of staff decided to focus on her work and remove herself from her family to protect those around her.

She is just one of the incredible care heroes whose efforts are being recognised by the Salisbury Journal.

“We had our first confirmed case at the beginning of April, initially it was manageable, we took all the precautions, going home to my little boy I would strip my clothes off and go straight into the shower but when we started getting more cases the risk was just not worth it,” she said.

Salisbury Journal: Skye Williams with her little boy SpencerSkye Williams with her little boy Spencer

After talking to her husband Josh, 23, Skye decided to stay at her Amesbury home while Josh and their son Spencer, aged two, would temporarily move to Josh’s parents in Margate.

“Being on my own meant I could concentrate on work. I would do five/six 12-hour shifts in a row before having a day off because staff members were testing positive and people were off so we had a lot of agency staff.

“Some nights I stayed over if I knew I was going to finish late and I was due in the next day.”

As coronavirus took hold, 29 per cent of residents contracted Covid-19. Skye too tested positive for the virus and faced the scary prospect of falling seriously ill while being on her own. Luckily, that wasn’t the case and nine days later she was back at work.

In the five weeks she was separated from her family, Skye missed out on her wedding anniversary and her son’s second birthday.

“With my husband being in the Army, I’m used to him going away, but it was hard not seeing my little boy for so long especially being his second birthday. At work they were really nice and they baked a cake so I could FaceTime him and sing happy birthday to him, which was as nice as it could have been.”

When the virus subsided, Skye was finally reunited with her family. The care home too is in a much better place now, having reported no new cases in three months.

Salisbury Journal: The team at Gracewell of SalisburyThe team at Gracewell of Salisbury

“My story is just one of many, all the team have been brilliant and not just the carers and nurses but all the cleaners and members of hospitality. We all pulled together to get through a very difficult time that we will never forget.”

Thanks to Skye's work and that of other staff, Gracewell of Salisbury has been named as a finalist in the ‘Team’ category at this year’s Care Heroes Awards.

Scott Lindfield, General Manager, said: “I am really pleased that the team have been recognised for their wonderful efforts in such challenging times. It highlights the care and compassion the team at Gracewell of Salisbury have and shows their dedication to provide the very best care in any circumstances.”

Organised by Care Home Professional Magazine, the finals will take place during Care Heroes Awards Week which will begin on November 2.