After a successful 9-week work trip to the UK in the latter part of 2019, Sameera Thilakasiri returned to these shores in March 2020, along with colleague Maduranga Rathnamalala, to continue working with Jacob Bailey for Decipher Innovation, a joint venture with Mitra, delivering a place website marketing tool. Sameera’s skills in PHP Lavarel combined with his experience working offshore, made him the perfect candidate for this high-profile role.
Sameera came to the UK in the expectation his young family would be joining him in April 2020, but Covid-19 had other ideas. There’s barely a person on the planet whose plans haven’t been disrupted by the global pandemic, but few will have dealt with the uncertainty of their situation with as much grace as Sameera. This was due in the first instance to his supportive and caring family in Sri Lanka, staying in constant touch and keeping his spirits raised, but the part Mitra UK played was also crucial to his wellbeing while so many miles from home.
Sameera talks with such warmth about how he was looked after while in the UK, as if a member of an extended family, he speaks of regular distanced visits with colleagues, food parcels, shopping trips to the Asian Supermarket in Ipswich and Friday nights at the virtual Mitra Arms with colleagues who soon became friends. He is so grateful to Tara for her organisational prowess, and Derek who together with his wife Jayne, organised day trips, when allowed, and who was such a good mentor and friend. Having worked away from home before, Sameera says this experience was vastly different, in a good way!
Sameera worked closely with Shaun at Jacob Bailey and was an extremely valuable member of the team. This is what Arfath has to say…
