Poppy works at Help & Care, where she oversees Dorset Council’s all-age commissioned Lead Carer Support Service and the organisation’s role as the certified provider of the HOPE Programme in Dorset – a self-management course supporting adults living with long-term conditions and caring responsibilities. Her work centres on partnership with local authorities, NHS partners and community organisations to strengthen integrated support for unpaid carers and local communities.
She is committed to inclusive practice, sustainable delivery and ensuring lived experience remains central to local decision-making. Throughout her career, Poppy has worked to ensure carers’ voices inform local priorities and service development, contributing to strategy development and local strategic frameworks focused on strengthening support for carers. This includes collaborating with national partners such as Carers Trust to launch a cross-county Carer Money Matters pilot.
Poppy qualified as a Social Worker within West Sussex County Council and later worked in a Tier 4 CAMHS setting supporting young people with learning disabilities and/or autism alongside complex mental health needs. She then spent six years within a Carer Support charity operating across Wiltshire and Dorset, developing strong systems insight and experience working closely with local authorities across the region.