Our team at
Broadlands Lodge

As well as being flexible, you need to have patience, empathy and confidence. It also helps to be ever so slightly bonkers – a good sense of humour always makes things easier.

There are so many fantastic aspects to my role and I can’t pin down one favourite part. I love the people I work with, and enjoy being with residents and hearing their stories; it definitely feels more like a family than a workplace.

I have also had so many career highlights – like taking Valerie to be a lollipop lady and boxing with Gordon. Having the ability to change someone’s mood so they’re happy and smiling by the end of the day is something I feel really proud of. I love my job and feel fulfilled knowing I can make such a positive difference to people.

Outside of work I enjoy arts and crafts, swimming, and being outdoors. I also always look forward to planning my next adventure.

I started out as a kitchen assistant and continued to train, eventually progressing through to sous chef and finally as Head Chef.

In this role you need to have confidence in what you do and be happy to continue learning and training. I really enjoy all aspects of my job, and no two days are ever the same. But one of my favourite things is being able to make a beautiful cake for residents when it’s their birthday.

I also love it when we have charity or fundraising events and helping with those. We have raised money for the dementia and Alzheimer’s wards at the local hospital through bake sales. It is incredibly rewarding knowing that we can help such good causes.

I spend my free time with my two daughters. I’m also a keen gardener and enjoy going for meals with my partner.

As Care Manager, the most important part of my role is supporting the Home Manager and colleagues, ensuring that we work to the highest standards of care and governance.

To do this job well, you need to be professional, organised and focused. You also have to be kind, attentive and compassionate with an eye for detail.

My favourite part of the day is hearing all the positive things residents and colleagues have to say about Broadlands Lodge. It is a good feeling knowing that residents feel happy, comfortable and well looked after.

In my spare time I like reading, listening to music and going to the cinema.

In this role, it is absolutely essential to be approachable and friendly so that everyone feels welcome and genuinely cared for. I think you also need to have lots of empathy; the decision to move into a care home can be difficult so you have to be understanding and truthful too. On the administrative side, I ensure all paperwork is correct and up to date, so organisation and efficiency are additional essential skills.

I enjoy being Front of House Manager and being able to support residents and their families; it is always lovely to stop and have a chat with people. It’s a role I feel proud of and we all work hard to make sure people have the best experience.

I like to spend my free time with loved ones watching a good film. I have also started growing my own vegetables and learning how to be a gardener.

Working in a care environment means you also need to be kind, friendly and easily approachable. I often enjoy stopping for a chat with residents.

It always makes me feel proud to see Broadlands Lodge lovely and clean. It’s important to make sure residents feel happy and comfortable and that colleagues in the housekeeping team have the support they need to do their best.

When I am not at work, you can usually find me gardening or with my grandchildren.

I enjoy solving day to day maintenance problems that crop up and seeing the immediate difference it makes to residents and colleagues.

I was also recognised for my work by winning the Maintenance Operative of the Year award for the Suffolk region last year, which was lovely to receive and a proud moment.

A crucial part of the job is to make sure the home is safe as well as comfortable for everyone who lives and works here. Often that means identifying issues early, so they don’t become big problems. To do that, you need to be practical, have good problem-solving skills and be able to prioritise. Attention to detail and communication skills are important too.

Outside of work, I am really interested in technology, and I enjoy learning how digital solutions can solve practical problems. I have combined this interest with work and developed my own Maintenance Hub app, where I can organise maintenance information, records and checks more effectively.