Northwich care worker spends just 3 weeks at home in Covid pandemic

Dylan Rixon, who works at the Deafness Support Network’s Stepping Stones residential home, has spent just three weeks at home in Buckley since the pandemic began last March.

Despite being left with a low immune system from a childhood illness, the 24-year-old continued to travel into Northwich on public transport when Covid first arrived in Cheshire.

But Dylan soon realised his journey could be potentially harmful to Stepping Stones’ residents and himself – so he took the selfless decision to move into the care facility.

He said: “I remember my father having a talk to me saying life as you know it will start to change. And it did.

“I had a higher risk of catching the virus myself having had meningitis and whooping cough when I was very young which left me with a low immune system all my life and I had a mild heart attack two years ago too.

“I have two siblings and live with parents and didn’t want to pass anything on to them either so I was in a dilemma but I knew what was the right thing to do.”

Dylan spent his birthday at the Stepping Stones facility, and only went back to North Wales for three weeks when lockdown restrictions were first eased before returning to the Northwich facility.

He also spent the Christmas period at Stepping Stones and now, 10 months on, he remains there during the current lockdown.

“My time spent at Stepping Stones is one I’ll cherish forever,” said Dylan.

“Not only do I get to see the tenants every day but I got to understand them more as a person and the communication and compassion for one another grew.

“Everyone has pulled together tremendously well.”

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Dylan is one of a team of more than 70 people who support and care for people with a sensory loss at Stepping Stones, in Weir Street.

He added: "It’s never been about just my story – we are a team and I’m so proud of us all."