Our team at
The Wickets

I’ve worked in the care sector for 30 years. In that time, I’ve been a carer, an NHS nurse, and a manager in an elderly care rehabilitation unit.

I previously worked at another Care UK home – Carpathia Grange in Hythe, where I also worked with Pooja Dhoot, who provides amazing leadership. It feels wonderful working with Pooja again here at The Wickets.

I’ve had a varied career, but the highlight for me was gaining my adult nursing qualification at Leeds University. I’m proud to work in a care home, knowing that we have a fantastic team that always strives to provide the very best care.

The most important aspects of my current role are to be supportive and knowledgeable. I am here to help people make decisions that are right for them, no matter what their personal situation is.

My favourite part of the day is first thing in the morning, making a coffee for myself and any residents that are up. It’s lovely and calm and you get a chance to say hello and have a chat.

Outside of work, my time is filled with my four fabulous children. I also love to travel when I can.

I have worked in the care industry for twenty-nine years; I decided to work for Care UK because of their strong values. I researched other Care UK care homes locally, all the reviews were very positive, so I decided to apply for The Wickets.

During my career I have worked at three brand-new care homes, I really enjoy being part of a team that starts as it means to go on - putting the residents at the heart of all we do.

Within my role I believe you need to be caring, creative, patient and organised to ensure that we always have an up to date and stimulating activity schedule that meets the needs of residents. Communication is also highly important.

My favourite part of the day is when I’m seeing residents enjoying activities; no matter what level they are joining in. Seeing the residents smiling and engaging with each other as well as their families and colleagues in the care home.

Outside of work I love to spend time with my family, especially my four grandchildren. I also enjoy gardening and knitting, although I haven’t knitted for a while, so I’m hoping a resident encourages me to begin!

Becoming a head chef and being trusted to lead a team has been a real career highlight. For me, the most important part of my role is ensuring that everyone has meals that are both nutritious and tasty. Another crucial part of what we do is maintaining high standards of hygiene.

It is so rewarding knowing that residents and colleagues enjoy the meals prepared and that it contributes to their health and happiness. Teamwork is essential in a busy kitchen so as head chef, you also need to be patient, communicative and be able to adapt. Being passionate and knowledgeable about food, and being detail orientated are important too.

I chose to join Care UK because it has a good reputation, The Wickets is also local to me. My training includes qualifications in nutrition and health, patisserie and confectionery, as well as professional cookery.

I spend my time outside of work with family and friends. I also enjoy travelling, cooking and baking.

I previously worked for an NHS mental health crisis team, ensuring that people with mental health needs received appropriate care and support. I wanted to continue making a positive difference in people’s lives, while working for an organisation with strong people-focused values. Joining Care UK enables me to do this and my role helps me to build on my administrative experience in a caring environment.

I also have a degree in psychology and criminology, and my studies have given me a strong understanding of mental health and human behaviour. It also means I understand the importance of good communication and safeguarding.

As a business administrator, you need to be organised, professional, reliable and have excellent attention to detail. It’s also important to value teamwork, confidentiality and be able to manage multiple tasks, all while staying calm under pressure.

Joining the team here has been brilliant, and I feel valued and appreciated by colleagues. It is also rewarding to help ensure The Wickets runs smoothly and be a source of support for colleagues as they provide high-quality care.

The best part of working here is that no two days are ever the same. Supporting colleagues, welcoming new residents and meeting their families, it’s fantastic being part of such a welcoming environment.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy travelling and exploring new places.

Care UK has a strong reputation for high-quality care, and The Wickets is just around the corner from where I live, so I applied for a housekeeping role here originally. In just a few months, I have progressed to head housekeeper, which has been incredibly rewarding.

Before joining the team here, I was a housekeeper in a private home, and I also cleaned for a local church. In this role, you need to have very high cleaning standards and genuinely want to use your skills to provide a clean, safe home for everyone that lives and works here.

It is a privilege to work somewhere, where you can see the positive difference you make, and I really enjoy talking with residents and their families. It always makes me feel good to see the home spotless and knowing that what we do is really appreciated.

I spend my spare time with my family, and I particularly like to go walking. I also love a good mystery book, and cooking is a real passion of mine too.

Before joining the team here, I was responsible for maintenance at Carpathia Grange (another Care UK home). Before that, I was a mechanical engineer for lorries and plant machinery. I’ve been able to draw on that experience and add other training to it, including Legionella awareness.

In this role, you have to be able to prioritise your workload and keep excellent records, so you know exactly what’s been done. I feel proud to be able to support the work that every team here does. There is always so much variety to the work I do – from decorating to making sure the environment is safe and compliant.

Working in a care home means you need to be friendly and outgoing too. The best part of the day for me is when I can spend time talking to residents and their families. It is rewarding to know that my work contributes to creating a beautiful and safe home for residents.

When I am not working, I’m usually playing golf, cycling or fishing. I also spend a lot of time looking after my marine fishtank and taking my dogs out for walks in the forest.