Meet the Team with Martha
Date 5 November 2025
Our regular Meet the Team Q&A features usually focus on the humans who make up our Care Connection Partners family.
But we’re taking a break from the norm with this one as we find out more about Martha, our therapy dog who is visiting residents in care homes across the Yorkshire region.
Martha, a 19-month-old Sprocker Spaniel, belongs to Beth and James MacLeod-Birch, our General Manager and Business Development Manager.
Martha.
Tell us about your role and what it involves
I recently qualified as a therapy dog after being assessed by the Pets As Therapy charity to make sure I’m calm, kind, friendly and gentle, so I can visit residents in our partners’ care homes.
I sometimes go to work with mum and dad and cheer up everyone in the office up. But my main role is to bring joy to our friends in the care homes with mum and put a smile on people’s faces.
What’s the best thing about your job and why?
I love making a difference to people’s days. I also have very soft ears and they make people happy.
I’m really enjoying my visits and I love coming to work! I’m definitely ready for a rest at the end of the day after receiving so much love and attention.
Why do you love being part of the Care Connection Partners team?
I’m given lots of cheese when I visit the office, which is my favourite, and I love the tummy tickles everyone gives me.
Everyone in the team is part of my extended family and I love them as much as they love me.
What does #feelthelove mean to you?
Feeling the love is engrained in me and that’s why I do this job. I’m very good at spreading love and it’s nice to be able to share our #feelthelove ethos with our partners and their residents.
We want them to #feelthelove in all areas of our partnership and I want to help with that.
After all, I’m very cute – What’s not to love?
Tell us something about yourself which people may not know
I was born on February 29, 2024, so I’m a leap year baby.
I have two birthdays to make up for it – February 28 and March 1 – because I’m the Care Connection Partners princess alongside Marnie, our other office dog.