Jodie swaps life of glamour and glitz for job as carer

International singing star Jodie Yang-Cooper has swapped a life of glamour and glitz for a job as a carer. 

Jodie, who has performed throughout the world, is one of Torbay’s unsung ‘Our Heroes’ and works as a domiciliary care worker for the local NHS.

And as the official first anniversary of the pandemic is reached, Jodie expresses her ‘sadness’ that nurses on the front line are getting just a one per cent pay rise.

She has created a mini-documentary to describe her amazing journey.

Jodie, who lives in Torquay with her husband, said: “I was an International singer and DJ travelling the world with this only ever being my job. I am now working as a carer in the community and have created this mini documentary to highlight the differences as well as tell my story.

"I am really really sad to hear that nurses and a lot of front line workers will only be getting a one per cent pay increase after all their hard work, which I have now had first-hand experience of encountering.”  

Jodie has been a singer and DJ for the last 16 years and has worked in In the past in China, Macau, Japan, Spain, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium and UK just to name a few as well as on cruise ships and for world-renowned clients and brand names ranging from Genting Casino and ,Mercedes Benz to Porsche and P&O. 

She also been a singing teacher and vocal coach for the last five years both in China and the UK.  

She lived in China for five years with her husband who is a Chinese national and decided she wanted to return to England. 

In 2014 she was the only foreigner to be in the Chinese TV show Chinese Idol which was watched by a billion people. She reached the last 30. 

Now she sings on her way to and from work looking after vulnerable people in the Bay. 

The pandemic had a devastating impact on her life. She says: “I lost my job, my mental health struggled, I felt anxious when my gigs would come back as well as schools opening so that I could get back to teaching children singing.  

“It was like everything I had ever worked for was crumbling down around me.” 

But she adds: “I didn’t want to stay at home and feel sorry for myself. I had to get out there and give something back to the community to keep the elderly as safe as possible in their own homes.” 

As a singer Jodie would get up a midday and put on her make-up and high heels. 

Now her day starts at 6.20am and she sees eight or nine clients a day 

“I help them get up, make a cup of tea or keep some who may have lost a loved one company,” she says 

She adds: “Being a carer is certainly different. “It is such a rewarding job .I do not know how anybody could dislike it. It is heart-warming.” 

She say in her video: “I sympathise with the people who do this day in day out and have done all their life. 

“Working for the NHS has been a huge eye-opener 

"I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to see how the NHS works and how people lead their lives behind closed doors. It has been amazing to help these people.” 

Jodie can’t wait to get back on the stage. 

She says: “I am hoping that with the vaccine and the relaxing of lockdown this year that I will be able to return once again to the stage. Working as a carer is something that I will never forget and would certainly not shy away from again in the future.  

“But I can’t wait to get back on stage. It is something I miss every day.”