Meet Crosslee Manor’s Experienced Care Home Manager

We are delighted to welcome experienced care professional Solmaz Bahadori-Ridge as manager of our new Crosslee Manor Care Home in Hipperholme, near Halifax.

Solmaz brings more than 25 years of experience in the care sector, having spent much of her career supporting people with learning disabilities and complex health needs.

Her journey into care began after completing a degree in Theatre Studies. Originally planning to become a drama teacher and continue her education with a master’s degree, she was advised to gain a year of work experience beforehand. She took a role as a support worker at a learning disabilities care home and quickly realised that care was the career she wanted to pursue.

Since then, Solmaz has built an extensive and highly rewarding career in the sector, including many years working for St Anne’s Community Services. She is a registered learning disabilities nurse and also holds a Level 5 qualification in Health and Social Care.

Alongside her management experience, Solmaz has worked closely with the University of Huddersfield, supporting and mentoring student nurses and giving them valuable first-hand experience within care environments.

For Solmaz, it’s the relationships she builds with residents and their families that make her role so meaningful.

“What has always kept me in the sector is the relationships you build with residents and their families. I still have families who keep in touch with me now, years later, and that means such a lot.

“I’ve watched the home being built as I drove past every day, so it feels really special to now be part of it. From the moment I met the team at Burghley Care, it was clear how passionate and hands-on they are. Everyone has been so welcoming, and there is a real sense that people genuinely care about creating the best possible home for residents and families.”

Opening this year, the home will provide 72 en-suite bedrooms alongside welcoming communal areas, landscaped gardens and dedicated spaces for activities and relaxation. The design has been shaped to support independence, dignity and clinical best practice, while creating a comfortable and homely setting for residents.