Our team at
Milner House

I’m an experienced nurse and have been part of the Milner House team since the summer of 2020, when I joined as Clinical Lead.

One of the best parts of the day is when I walk around the home. I have a chat with the residents and find out how they’re doing. There’s always something new to learn about a person, and just spending time with them makes all the difference to them, which is what it’s all about.

Becoming Deputy Manager of Milner House has definitely been the highlight of my career so far. I’m looking forward to working with the team to make the home an even more wonderful place to live and work.

Before joining the team at Milner House, I was a business manager for a domiciliary care company, so I have some experience in the area. I chose to join Care UK because it has an excellent reputation for standards of care.

I love being able to help people and in my role, you need to be friendly, empathetic and warm. I’m really proud to support families and their loved ones and be a source of reassurance for them. Making the decision to move to a care home, can be difficult and overwhelming, I’m here to support families and give them the information they need to make informed decisions.

We have a great team here, and it is wonderful to hear positive feedback about the home and the care residents receive.

Outside of work, I enjoy running, and painting.

I have a level two NVQ in professional cookery and my last role was as a culinary specialist head chef, so I bring plenty of experience with me. I chose to join Care UK because I wanted to work in a supportive and friendly environment.

In my role, you obviously need excellent cooking skills, but you also need to be organised with good communication and be able to work under pressure. I think it is also important to be creative when it comes to menu planning.

As head chef, you have to provide solid leadership and promote teamwork too. We have a fantastic team here and our focus is always on providing consistent, high-quality food. I always feel very proud when I see us working well together and serving great food to happy residents.

I enjoy working under pressure and my favourite part of the day is service time. I love the fast pace, the teamwork, and just seeing all our dishes go out as planned.

Outside of work, I enjoy going to the gym and looking after my watch collection.

Before joining Care UK, I was a nursery assistant, and before that, I was a teacher. My experience has given me valuable transferable skills, including patience, organisation, and good communication, which are essential for my role here. I have also completed training in caring for older people and safeguarding.

It is also important to be creative and flexible, because, as well as designing the activities, you also need to be able to adapt them so that everyone can be included.

I wanted to be part of the Care UK team, as it’s an organisation that focuses on providing a supportive, person-centred environment. I also wanted to use my creativity in a role that would genuinely benefit people’s wellbeing and quality of life.

My favourite part of the day is when I am running activities and I see residents smiling, laughing and fully engaged. It makes the job meaningful, knowing that something I have planned makes them feel happy, active and connected.

It is particularly special when I see residents who have been affected by illness getting involved and using our activities to regain their health and confidence.

Another big highlight for me is creating special moments such as our Diwali celebration. Everyone enjoyed the decorations and the music, and it was wonderful to be able to bring people together in joy.

Outside of work, I enjoy creative activities like arts, crafts and music. I also like to spend time outdoors and socialising with friends and family. It is also important to me to take part in community events and activities that keep me active and positive.

Before joining the team, I was HR Administrator at Parkside Hospital in Wimbledon. I’ve also worked for British Airways running their graduate training programme.

I’m no stranger to multi-tasking, which is an advantage in this job, which is very varied and has lots of different responsibilities. I love the fact that no two days are the same, and I’m working in such a great team.

One of the best aspects of working here is getting to chat to the residents. It’s a great feeling when a resident comes and sits in the office and puts the world to rights.

I love interior design so, when I’m not at work, I’m normally planning my next decorating project! I have two teenage children who keep me busy, as well as a dog called Beano. 

My previous role was as a head housekeeper, so moving to a maintenance role felt like a natural transition. I am also currently doing my maintenance operative, level two NVQ.

Key qualities that are essential to have are patience, understanding and most definitely a sense of humour. It can be stressful if lots of things need doing at once, so being able to prioritise and keep calm really helps.

I enjoy early mornings when I first get into work. Only a handful of residents are usually awake then, so it is a good opportunity to catch up with them and have a chat.

I always feel proud when a little project I start is supported and enjoyed by residents. A good example is the gardening nook and the cinema room bar that I created.

I spend my spare time with my family and my dog.

I started my career in care but decided to switch to a housekeeping role. Since then, I’ve progressed to head housekeeper.

In my role, it is important to be organised and to be able to work as a team. We are here to make sure Milner House is a comfortable, clean and safe environment for residents, it is their home, and it is up to us to ensure they are happy. It is always lovely being able to stop and chat with residents.

When I am not at work, I love spending time with my grandchildren, as well as cooking, reading and crocheting.

My name is John Barclay. I am 83 years old. I have lived at Milner House for nearly 18 months. I enjoy the range of activities available, especially our trips to the local pub and down to Brighton! I was happy to put myself forward as a resident representative, and I was pleased to have been voted in by my fellow residents! My aim is to listen to residents’ thoughts and relay these to management in a proactive fashion to improve the lives of all here at Milner House!

My name is Marion Marchant. I am 77 years old and have lived at Milner House for two years now. I wanted to become a resident representative so I could make a difference in the lives of my fellow residents and be a voice for residents to management, who may not have the confidence to speak directly to them. My goal is to make Milner House the best it possibly can be, with the views of residents listened to and action taken.